Dragons, Dragons, Dragons
by nomey1
Summary: This is the follow up to the prologue of this story. Don't have to read prologue but it is suggested. Luna returns to battle alongside of Mark. She meets new people and those from the past. Things are different, though. Read to find out what happens!
1. Chapter 1

**I'm back, everyone! :D Finally, I have decided the post the main part to the story 'Dragons, Dragons, Dragons'. For those who haven't realized this yet, this is the follow up to the 'Dragons, Dragons, Dragons PROLOGUE'. I am so excited for this project! Mainly 'cause this will be a very LONG one and I am improving (at least, I like to believe I am). ^_^' I am super excited to see how this turns out! I hope you enjoy this story as much as I am going to! ^_^ I am hoping to keep the 'every Saturday' routine just like I did with the prologue. I will try my hardest! XD Anyway, please go ahead and read!  
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**Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or the characters. I only own Luna, my OC.**

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><p><span>Chapter 1:<span>

Walking away from the tiny home that I was living in for a few days I look up with my pale lavender eyes to the sky. My short white skirt was gently blowing in the breeze. I had on my long dark green boots that cut off below the knees and matching colored t-shirt. It was sleeveless but it did come with these long pieces of cloth that covers my arms acting as sleeves starting from below the shoulder all the way down to my wrists. It then widens to cover half of my hands. My mid-length black hair was in a high pony-tail like usual so my curls were dancing around my head (since I have long hair).

With my things in my bag, my quiver filled with arrows, and bow on my back, I felt comfortable and ready to leave. It will be sad to leave another kind, simple, and happy village again. I don't want to stay for too long, though. If I do, I would get attached. It is a nice place but this isn't where I want to live and stay. At least, not on my own.

"Luna!" a little girl calls for me.

I turn around and smile at her. "What's up, Annie?" I ask her.

The little five year old runs up and hugs my legs. "Do you have to go?" I could see her eyes were teary.

I place my hand on top of her head and rub it soothingly. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I do."

A tear falls down her cheek. "Will you write to me? And visit?"

"Of course!" Annie lets go of my legs. She then puts her arms up. I pick the little girl up and hug her tightly. Gently, I place her back down. "You better go see you mommy before she gets worried, ok?"

"Ok!" she says smiling. "Bye bye, Luna!" She waves quickly then runs back home.

I rub my eyes feeling the tears coming. She is such a sweet, innocent child. I will miss her. I must continue traveling, though. I need to find a place to settle. I have visited home a few times but I want to find a place of my own. It would be nice if I was with my brother but he travels to a bunch of random places training on being a tactician. It's been a while since I've last seen him.

"Hmm… You look like you've some experience with battle."

I turn at the entrance of the village curious. An old man is talking to… Dorcas? Is that really him? I thought he was back home with his wife! Why would he be here? I slowly walk up to them. The old man hands him what looks like a book. Dorcas then turns around.

"Dorcas!" I call out jogging over to him.

He sees me and his eyes grow wide. "Luna? Is that you?"

I was in front of him catching my breath. "Yep! The one and only!" I say smiling brightly.

He smiles. "Good to see you. How are you?"

"Good." I then look at him curiously. "What are you doing here? I thought you would be home with Natalie."

He nods. "I was, until I decided to help Lord Eliwood. He is looking for his father."

I gasp. "The one that vanished?"

Dorcas nods. "What are you doing here?"

I smile. "I've been traveling. Helping people out here and there." An idea comes to my head. "May I travel with you? I've nowhere to go and it would be nice to be of some help."

He pauses for a few seconds. He then smiles. "I would like that. You should go talk to Lord Eliwood. Oh, and I should warn you, there are bandits that are attacking us right now. Willing to help right away?"

"No problem!" I exclaim beaming. "Let's go!"

I run out of the village following Dorcas. We run down the long path and up to the other one. Ahead I could see some people fighting. There was a man with blue armor and cape along with red hair that stood out like a sore thumb. I remember him from last year. He had helped out Lyn before when Nils and Ninian were in trouble. Very nice guy. I hear someone giving orders and I look for that familiar voice.

"Mark!" I exclaim.

He sees me and looks surprised. "Luna! What are you doing here?"

I quickly run up to him and hug him tightly. It's been too long! I back up. "I just happened to be here. Now I'm going to help out! Feel free to give me orders!" I say with a 'thumbs up'.

He smiles looking really happy. I've always been able to make him smile. It's what siblings do. Be there for each other. I want to be of use to him like I was last year when we were helping Lyn. Speaking of which, I wonder how everyone is doing.

"Go up and help Eliwood!" he orders me. I immediately nod.

While he continued yelling his orders I ran up ahead as told. Lord Eliwood notices me and immediately takes the defense. I hold my hands up.

"I'm on your team!" I exclaim. "I'm Mark's sister and I'm here to help you guys out!"

His eyes grow wide. He then relaxes. "Oh, hello. I think I've seen you before."

I nod. "Last year, remember? You helped Lyn out and I was part of her group. You also saved Ninian from those bad guys."

He smiles. "That's right. Nice to meet you, uh…"

"Luna." I say smiling.

"Luna." He repeats. "Alright. Let's go finish these guys off."

"Sounds good to me."

A man with a sword was charging at the young lord so I shot him with my arrow. He immediately fell over in pain. Lord Eliwood then finishes him off with his rapier. A very elegant sword that is fit for a noble. There was only one or two guys left that a knight in dull red armor and a man with heavy blue armor finished off. Everyone then gathered up. I stood behind my brother feeling a bit timid.

"Whew… Is that all of them?" the man in blue armor asks.

Lord Eliwood looks at him surprised. "Hector! Where did you come from?"

Hector smiles. "Well met, Eliwood."

"Yes, but… what are you doing here?"

"You wound me!" he says looking sad and slightly angry.

Lord Eliwood just looks at him confused. "How do you mean?"

"You're looking for your father, right? Why didn't you send word?"

He pauses. "Your brother was just named Marquess Ostia. He's going to be very busy setting up his court council. Lord Uther must need your support. You are his brother, after all." Lord Eliwood explains.

Oh, so he is a lord? Oops! Lord Hector glares at him. "My brother is not so weak. Oh, he has mentioned some things in public, but… He knew exactly what I was planning, and he let me go."

"Is that so? Well then, it would be unwise to refuse his kindness!" Lord Eliwood says beaming. "It does me good to see you, Hector. Thank you."

"Think nothing of it." The knight in dull red armor then stands next to Lord Hector. "You know Oswin, don't you?"

"Well met, Lord Eliwood." Oswin says smiling.

"It is good to see you again, Oswin. So you came as well?"

I quickly was starting to get bored of the conversation. It's nice that they have met up again but I don't really know these people that much. I look at Mark.

"How did you end up working for him?" I ask quietly.

He looks down at me. "A knight of his found me in the village. I offered my assistance to the lord and he accepted it."

I smile. "That's nice of you. How is your training going?"

Mark smiles. "I'm getting better. I still need more practice and experience, though."

"Helping Lyn was quite the experience, though."

He nods.

"Lord Hector! Why didn't you tell me the fighting was done!" a familiar voice exclaims. I look at the group.

Another familiar person, a man with a red cloak, runs up as well. "I apologize for the interruption. I couldn't restrain her any longer!" I cover my mouth to stop the laugh that was daring to escape my lips. That is very much like Serra.

Lord Eliwood looks at them strangely. "Are these your companions, Hector?"

Lord Hector looks at them with an eyebrow raised. "Oh… Yes, I suppose they are. One might have hoped for better, but…"

Serra places her hands on her hips. "That was uncalled for! I can't believe you said that!" She then looks at the thief. "Matthew, did you hear what he said about you?"

Matthew looks at her surprised. "Me? He was talking about you!" he exclaims.

That's when I laugh. Matthew looks at me surprised. I smile waving at him. Serra doesn't seem to notice me and continues glaring at him.

"Hector," Lord Eliwood says quickly, "why don't you introduce us?"

Lord Hector nods and looks at the pink haired girl. "The noisy one is Serra. Believe it or not, she's a cleric."

She smiles at Lord Eliwood. "Yes, I am Serra, my lord. Pleased to meet you." She says politely.

Lord Hector then looks at the thief. "And that's Matthew. He does a lot of… sneaking around." He says carefully.

"My lord." Matthew says bowing slightly.

"Sneaking… around." Lord Eliwood says making it sound more like a question.

Matthew then looks a bit uncomfortable. "Well… I, er… gather information, open doors, chests, and such. I've got… nimble fingers."

Lord Eliwood looks at him with a raised eyebrow. "That sounds… like a thief's work…"

Lord Hector speaks up. "Well… Don't let it worry you."

"But…"

"This journey… I suspect it will be harder than you imagine. You may have to accept things like this if you want to survive."

Lord Eliwood looks at him worried. "What is it, Hector? Do you know something?"

Lord Hector crosses his arms. "Nothing specific. Rumors abound, though. A league of assassins from Bern has been moving around in Lycia. Experienced bounty hunters and mercenaries are vanishing…"

Suddenly, Matthew was in front of me hugging me. I gasp in surprise. I hug him back.

"Hi!" I exclaim.

"Hi." He replies.

He lets go of me. "It's been a while." I comment.

Matthew smiles down at me. "It has."

Suddenly, I remember something. "Did you end up seeing her?" He looks at me confused. "Remember last year? You told me you had someone back where you came from."

His eyes widen. He laughs. "I'm surprised you remembered that."

"I've been told I have good memory." I say winking.

"Good girl." He says rubbing my head. "Yes, I did see her. She has a job now, though."

"At least you got to see her. That's good."

Suddenly, I hear Lord Eliwood say, "So, Mark. What do you think?"

Mark pauses and I look at him. "Something serious is going on around here. Pretty dangerous stuff, too."

"You might be right. Something may have happened to Lord Helman, too. Come! We must hurry to the castle!"

"Eliwood!" Lord Hector says quickly. "Who is this?"

"This is Mark. I required tactical aid in the search for my father, and…"

"Oh, I see. So this is who directed the battle plan back there, hm?" Lord Hector pauses. "You know, Mark, you're very young. We've many strategists in Ostia, but none so young. Eliwood, are you sure about this one?"

Mark stands there not changing his emotion. I glare at Lord Hector slightly. He shouldn't doubt my brother like that! He hasn't even seen him at work yet!

I was about to open my mouth but Lord Eliwood beat me to it. "Mark is still a student of military strategy, but… We've received nothing but sound advice so far. Mark has my trust." I smile at the lord. Good. He should have Lord Eliwood's trust.

"All right. I suppose I shall witness your skills firsthand. Well met, Mark." Lord Hector says more friendly.

He and my brother shake hands. The two lords then leave to some other direction to talk some more. I stand next to Mark feeling comfortable. It's intimidating standing near two lords like them. Even though I've met Lord Eliwood before it is still a little nerve wracking. Matthew smiles at my brother.

"How have you been, Mark?"

"Hello. You know, your secret is now revealed." Mark replies.

Matthew looks at him confused. "Eh? My secret's revealed?" His eyes then shine with realization. "Oh, that." He sighs. "Yes, it's true. My guise as a common thief was but a ruse. I've served House Ostia for some time as a spy of sorts! Surprised?" My brother stays silent. Matthew laughs. "Well, regardless, it looks like we'll be traveling together again. Here's to our mutual survival!" Mathew looks at me and smiles one last time before leaving.

"Eeeeeeee!" Serra squeals loudly. "Mark! Is it really you? It's been far, far too long! You missed me, didn't you? Of course you did. I knew it." Mark and I look at her confused and she notices. "Hm?" She then realizes why we are. "Didn't I tell you before? I'm in the employ of Ostia, Lycia's ruling territory. I'll be here to help you just like before! Aren't you lucky!" Serra then looks me up and down. "That is such a cute outfit! You took my advice from last year! Good for you, Luna!"

Before I could say anything she leaves. When she is around don't expect to be able to say anything. It's very rare that you can get your word in with her. Oh well, it will be nice to travel with at least a few familiar people. It's nice to meet new people, too. I'm also very happy to be with my brother once more. Hopefully, we will be together longer than last time.

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><p><strong>What did you all think? I would really like to see some reviews and have some opinions. ^^ Criticism is welcome, too. If I don't get any, how am I supposed to know if I am approving or not? It's part of life. XD No flames, though. It's just rude and inappropriate. -_- Anyway, please press the button below this. Yes, that very one. The blue one. It doesn't bite and you don't have to pay any money. It is totally free! ;) Well, see you all next chapter (I hope next Saturday so I can keep up the routine).<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Saturday! Yeah! :D This story is (slowly) coming together in my opinion. I'm happy for those who do read this, though! ^_^ Well, I don't have much to say (I know! Gasp!). Actually, something random, a bowling place near my house is hiring people. I'm going today and I am going to see if I can work there. :D Alright, let's get to the story! XD**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem. I own my OC, Luna. That's it. -_-**

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><p><span>Chapter 2:<span>

During our travel I got the chance to talk to people. Marcus is a serious and wise person. He is kind, too. His hair is an interesting color of purple as well which I think is really neat. Lord Hector is very intimidating so I didn't talk to him. He seems so strong and scary.

I don't try talking to Serra because I know I won't be able to say much. She drags out a conversation so it would take a long time before she lost interest. Matthew was kind of silent but I did talk to him for a tad bit. We mainly talked about the last time we traveled together. He didn't talk much about what happened over the year we were separated. He asked me a few questions and I answered them, though.

It was nice talking to Dorcas. It's always nice talking to him. He told me how he found jobs here and there while helping out Natalie. He mainly talked about her but I didn't mind. She sounds like a nice person and I can tell he misses her. They are such a cute couple, as far as I can tell.

I talked to Lowen a bit but usually he was off talking to Rebecca. I find that really cute. They seem to get along well. I can imagine them being a very cute couple. I'm sure they will be soon. It's just kind of hard having a relationship when you travel a lot and have to deal with fighting enemies. I wondered for a bit if I would ever find the right guy for me.

I talked to Lord Eliwood a tad bit but not much of a conversation there; Oswin, too. He is pretty smart but he is very serious. I do feel bad that he has to walk in that heavy armor. I'm sure that's no easy task. I wouldn't survive if I had to wear that all day. I shudder at the thought. The horror of it!

And of course, I got to talk to my brother. Not as much as I would have liked to since he would talk to the lords about strategies and such. I was still grateful for the time we got, though. He always knew how to make me smile. He always keeps me entertained, too.

Soon enough, we reach our destination. Lord Hector exclaims, "There's the castle, Eliwood!"

"We have to speak with Lord Helman…" Lord Eliwood says solemnly.

Suddenly, a strange knight walks over to us. "That's not gonna happen, laddie!"

"Who are you?"

The knight smirks. "Who am I? Ah, boy, you'd do better to worry about yourself. You'll be worm's meat before much longer."

Lord Hector looks mad and gets riled up a bit. "You think so? I think my axe'll change your mind."

Mockingly, the knight laughs. "Ha! The cub thinks he's a wolf! Does your bite match your bark? Tell you what: if you make it to the castle alive, we'll find out, eh? Geh heh heh hehhh!" He leaves heading towards the castle to guard it. That is the strangest laugh I have ever heard in my life!

"Let's get ready, everyone." Mark calls out to everyone.

We all got together ready to go. Quickly, Mark orders Eliwood, Dorcas, Bartre, and Oswin to cut down a tree and cross it while the rest of us take the longer route to the castle. Rebecca and I were able to shoot down a few enemies with Lowen's help. Matthew stuck to the back so he wouldn't get attacked. Marcus was able to handle them no problem. He is a very skilled and powerful paladin.

A village came into view. Lowen rode over and headed into the village. I helped Rebecca deal with a few sword wielders as we waited for him to come back. When he did, he was holding something small in his hands. Matthew comes over to see.

"What is it?" I ask.

Lowen opens his mouth to say, "A-"

"Bomb!" Matthew interrupts surprised.

Mark was then by us. "Perfect. We can use it."

I look at my brother horrified. "B-Bomb someone?"

"It's not that dangerous." Matthew says. "Just a bit of damage. To spook someone." He explains.

Mark nods. "Lowen, go over there and plant the bomb in front of you." He says pointing to a spot near the enemy fort.

"Yes, sir." Lowen says before riding over to the location. He does as told and places the bomb in the ground.

"Luna." I look at him. "I need you to stand by him. You know, just in case something goes wrong."

I nod. "Understood, brother."

"Matthew, stand by her."

Matthew nods before following me to where Lowen is. Rebecca was placed on the other side of Lowen. Marcus is somewhere else handling some archers.

Suddenly, a guy with long green hair that is braided and wearing a blue Sacean styled outfit rushed over to us. He has a scary looking sword and I think I have seen it before. I think it's a Killing Edge. My eyes grow wide seeing it.

The sword-wielder looks like he is about to strike at Lowen. However, he quickly changes direction and charges at me! I didn't have time to get ready or defend myself. He was just about to strike when the green cavalry knight quickly held out his spear so that the swordsman ran into it. He takes a few steps back and then the bomb goes off. It was a tiny explosion but it was enough to make the swordsman stop. He looked like he got injured and some marks are visible on his outfit.

"Hold on!" Matthew exclaims. "I know you! Isn't your name Guy?" He was pointing at the swordsman.

"It's-" The swordsman looks up from observing himself to the thief. "Is that you, Matthew?"

"What a pleasant surprise! How's your sword work coming?" Matthew was smiling and looking totally relaxed.

I look between the two surprised. Wait a minute! They know each other? What in the world…? I look around to see that Lowen had gone off to protect Rebecca from some other fighters. Should I leave, too? I look for Mark to see he has run up ahead to where the others are.

Guy looks at Matthew still totally serious. "You are aware this isn't the best place to be catching up, aren't you? You and I… We're on the opposite sides here."

"What? Are you saying you're going to fight me?" Matthew says looking sad.

"I… Well, yeah. I'm much improved. You can't beat me."

"You're quite a terror, Guy. Well then…" He pauses. "Hold on! I think I'd prefer it if you repaid what you owe me."

Guy's eyes grew wide. "Huh?"

"Last time I saw you, I gave you food. If I remember correctly, you said you owed me your life."

Guy became angry and rushed out, "I only said that 'cause you said you'd feed me if I did! I hadn't eaten in ten days, and you were cooking meat! You… This… This isn't fair!" His one hand was still clutching the sword tightly while the other hand was in a tight fist.

The thief smirks. "The people of Sacae never lie. Isn't that right, Guy?"

"Grr… Fine!" he shouts. He then mutters, "I finally find work, and now I have to throw it all away!" He continues the yelling with, "This is all your fault!"

Matthew just laughs. "Yeah, yeah. Now go and help us fight."

Guy looks at me and my eyes grow wide. That sword looks really scary and I know I have seen it before. Not the exact same one but someone else had the same type of sword. Somewhere in my past…

"I'm sorry for nearly attacking you." Guy says. He runs over to Serra most likely to get healed.

Matthew looks at me. "Shall we continue on and meet up with the others?"

Regaining my composure I nod. We then jog ahead. Two seconds later Guy was also running with us. The sword still makes me feel very  
>nervous... but I guess I will just have to deal with it. After all, he is on the same team as me now thanks to Matthew.<p>

We reached the leader and I hear the pale green knight laugh that weird, creepy laugh of his.

"Wretched cur!" Lord Eliwood yells in pure anger.

I guess I missed something. I've never imagined that Lord Eliwood would yell. He is usually calm. What did the leader say to make Lord Eliwood angry?

Lord Eliwood swings his sword at him and it lands. It did some damage but it looks like the knight isn't fazed that much. The knight then attacks with his lance. It scratches our leader and he was bleeding. He looks really injured but he fights on. The determination in his eyes look so bright and strong it seems like nothing could stop him. Soon enough the knight was on his knees defeated.

He says a few things between breaths but I do not hear what he says. Then, for the last time, he laughs his laugh. He falls over dead. Serra rushes over to tend to Lord Eliwood's wounds. After Lord Eliwood's wounds were completely healed, we all rush into the castle.

Mark orders us all to wait by while he, Lord Eliwood, and Lord Hector continue running to find the lord of the castle. I feel restless so I pace back and forth. Everyone else is either standing or sitting. I hum a little tune as I wait semi-patiently for the three guys to return. I don't know who to talk to. It's been a year and I really want to talk to my brother but he has gone with the lords.

After a few minutes of pacing I got tired so I sat down against the wall and lean back closing my eyes. In a few moments I feel like someone is sitting next to me. I open my eyes and turn to the side. It is Matthew. Next to him is Guy. Matthew turns to me and smiles.

"Hi, Luna."

"Hey." I reply.

"You alright? You seem stressed out."

I shrug. "I'm tired. I want to talk to my brother but he is with the lords right now."

"Hey, can I ask you something?" This time, it was Guy that spoke. I look over at him and nod. "Earlier, you were staring at my sword. I'm sorry I nearly attacked you, but you-"

I shook my head quickly and held my hand up to stop him. "It's not your fault." I say. I put my hand back down. "I have this bad memory. I just remembered someone who had the same type of sword as you. Not a very good experience."

He nods. "I think I understand." He pulls the blade out of its sheath. I flinch. "It is a Killing Edge, a very dangerous sword." He smirks. "Only good swordsman can wield this blade properly. So don't worry, your safe."

Matthew laughs. "Says the one that nearly attacked Luna earlier."

Guy glares at Matthew. "That was because you guys were the enemy! It wasn't my fault!"

"I thought you knew better than to attack women and children." He counters back still looking amused.

"I was just going to move her aside so I could attack YOU!"

Matthew quickly jumps up. "Oh, did you? Try catching me then!" He runs away very quickly.

"Hey!" Guy exclaims standing up and sheathing his sword. "No fair!" He also starts running very quickly after Matthew.

I giggle as I watch them run around as if they were little children. It made me think of Annie. I should write to her family soon. I should also write to my mom and dad. I do miss them a lot. I should visit but I like the traveling life. I hope to find a place one day but not now. Maybe after I help Lord Eliwood and the crew.

Mark came in but not the two Lords. I stand up and jog over to him. He doesn't look happy. I mean, I know he doesn't smile a lot and that he is usually serious, but he seems to be a bit sad over something. He sees me.

"Lord Helman is dead." He says.

My eyes grow wide. "What? Why? How?"

He shakes his head. "He was stabbed. He was barely alive when we reached him. I think we are dealing with something bigger than we could ever have thought."

I look at the ground sadly. I heard Lord Helman was a nice person. It's a shame that he is now dead. I hear footsteps and look up over Mark's shoulder. The two lords have returned and they looked grim.

"Lord Helman is dead." Eliwood announces. Everyone was surprised. "We are going to Laus."

People were still talking to each other but we did start moving. I stay near my brother. My fingers brush against his hoping for a little bit of comfort. Mark gently takes my hand. I think Mark is right, there is something strange going on. Something very, very bad. We just don't know what exactly. Maybe the answers will be found in Laus.

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><p><strong>I don't know what to say about this chapter... Well, I will leave that to you guys! ^_^ Please leave a review and tell me what you people think! Oh, speaking of reviews, let me thank the following people for reviewing my last chapter.<strong>

_**Meru-64**_

_**patattack**_

_**MattyBoy91**_

**Alright, so, I guess I will see you peoples next Saturday. Bye! ^_^**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm so, so, so, so, so, so, sorry! I left for NJ on Saturday early in the morning and I forgot to e-mail the story to myself so I could post it on the computer at my godfather's house! I know it's Monday but please forgive me! I will try to not let that happen again! ;_; Anyway... here is the story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem blah blah blah. I own Luna blah blah blah. ENJOY! XD**

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><p><span>Chapter 3:<span>

"Bah! Dark already." I hear Lord Hector say.

I look around and do notice how the woods look darker than how they did earlier. Time flies when you are traveling with a large group of people. I think we are in a Caelin town or something.

Lord Eliwood says, "We'll have to stop here for the night. We'll set out for Laus at the first sign of sunlight. Marcus, prepare the camp."

"Yes, my lord." Marcus replies.

That's when I stop paying attention to their conversation. I am tired and I want to help set up so I could sleep. I want to take my boots off really badly. I see Dorcas setting up a spot for the fire so I help by collecting some sticks.

I find a few when all of a sudden a loud noise filled the air. It sounds a lot like a scream. I run to my brother who is looking around a bit surprised.

"Mark!" I call out. He looks at me. When I approach him he is looking very serious. "Did you hear that?"

"Yeah." He says. "That sounded like a scream from someone."

I look around. "Where did the two lords go?"

"They went in the direction of the scream." Matthew says from next to me.

I 'eep' backing up into my brother. "Matthew! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

He shrugs smirking. "I'm a thief. It's my job to sneak around."

I roll my eyes. "Let's go see what the problem is, alright?"

He nods and we all leave to find the source of the scream. We catch up just in time to see Lord Eliwood speaking to a ruffian.

"Ha! A pair of dandies like you?" the ruffian says to him. He then looks pissed off. "You know what I think? Living off your parents' names, prancing about… I despise you! Come on! Don't hold back! We'll kill you all!"

His men were then forming up. It is hard to see since it is so dark out. I ready my weapon. Suddenly, a hysterical man runs up to my brother screaming.

"Aaaiiieeee! You! They call you Mark, am I right? I am Merlinus, a humble and lowly merchant. I know nothing of combat. Please! You must protect me!"

My brother nods calmly. "Don't worry. Just stay here and you will be safe. I promise."

Guy stands on the lower bridge and I stand behind him. Matthew is near me along with Oswin.

"Hey, Luna." Matthew says to me. "Since I'm a thief, I can see very well in the dark. If I tell you to shoot in a direction, will you listen?"

I stare at him for a few seconds. "Fine. But you better give me good directions." I reply.

He nods. I look ahead and hold my bow up and pull back an arrow on the string. I wait silently. Behind me on the other bridges I hear fighting. I think Marcus has ridden up to see if there were any villages. Lowen and Rebecca are working together on one bridge. My feet are starting to feel sore. I get annoyed and start pulling off my boots.

"Luna?" Matthew asks surprised. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" I ask back just as I was pulling off the second one.

"Let me re-phrase that. Why?"

I toss the boots behind me. "My feet were getting sore."

He chuckles. "Alright."

Now that I could feel the cool grass underneath me I feel better. Suddenly I see movement within the darkness.

"Do I shoot?" I ask Matthew without looking at him preparing my bow and arrow.

"Just wait." He says. I do as told. "Aim your arrow to the left." As I did there was more movement. "Shoot!" he suddenly exclaims.

I let go of the arrow and it flies through the air. I hear something that sounds like agony from a man and a 'thunk' of a body hitting the ground. My eyes grow wide.

"I can't believe I hit him." I say in amazement. I look at Matthew. "You're good." I say smiling.

He smiles back. "I told you I would give you good directions."

Just then I hear clashing of swords. I turn around just in time to see Guy fighting another myrmidon. He looks like he needs a little help.

"Duck!" I exclaim readying an arrow.

He does so right away and I shoot. The arrow hits the middle of the guy's chest and he falls over. Guy turns around and looks at me appreciatively.

"Thanks." He says.

"No problem." I say smiling.

Oswin then speaks up saying, "You are very skilled with your bow."

I smile at him. "Thanks."

Oswin smiles back. He then steps forward in order to aid Guy better. That's when a guy comes and tries to attack him. The sword hits the armor hardly leaving a faint scratch. I want to laugh but it doesn't seem like the appropriate moment to. Oswin swiftly pierces him with his lance. I wince as it went through the body and when he pulled it out.

"That looked painful." I say more to myself.

"I know what you mean." Matthew comments.

A nomad rode up and shot an arrow at Matthew. He swiftly dodges the attack. I take that moment to shoot an arrow at him. My hand slips a bit so it doesn't fly as well as it should have. It lands near the horse's feet. Oops. The horse panics moving to its hind legs making the rider fall off. Guy then rushes up to finish the rider off. The horse gallops away in a panic. I look at the spot where the arrow landed amazed. That was definitely not part of the plan but it somehow worked.

Guy looks at me looking amazed himself. "Was that your plan?"

I rub the back of my head sheepishly. "Sure, we can say that."

Matthew laughs. "It worked really well for a fluke." I punch his arm making him laugh more.

"Blast!" I suddenly hear from the ruffian that was talking to Lord Eliwood earlier. I turn around to see that there are hardly any enemies left. He looks pretty beat up himself. "I won't forget this!" he exclaims.

"Then you're smarter than you look! Get out of here!" Lord Hector yells at him.

He leaves with the remaining members of the group of ruffians.

"Are you all right?" Lord Eliwood asks the man who has been kneeling down whimpering the whole time.

"Hm?" the merchant says looking around. He stands up. "Oho! I… I've been saved!" he exclaims. I can't help but roll my eyes.

"We've driven them off. Are you injured?"

"No, not at all. As you can see, I'm as fine as fine can be." The man was smiling very brightly looking really grateful.

Lord Eliwood was smiling politely but I could tell by his expression that he just wanted to leave. "I'm glad to see that. We'll take our leave then. Let's go, Hector."

The man's eyes grow wide. "Wait a moment, please! A token of my thanks…"

"Do not worry yourself. We did nothing to merit reward." He says quickly.

"That's right. We've no need of a peddler's junk." Lord Hector says sounding a bit cold.

"P-P-Peddler?" the man says surprised and looking hurt.

"Hector!" Lord Eliwood exclaims at him.

Lord Hector's eyes grow wide realizing what he had done wrong. "Oops!"

The man looks angry but ignores him and clears his throat. "Ahem! I am Merlinus. You'll find no other traveling merchant whose good compare. Don't let your eyes fool you; I'm quite prosperous."

Lord Hector suddenly looks interested. "Huh? You're a merchant? Books and knives and all that, eh?"

Lord Eliwood looks at him displeased. "Hector, your manners are terrible." He then looks at the merchant. "Merlinus, please… pay no mind to what this oaf has to say."

"No, of course not. I wasn't concerned at…" I could see that the merchant was getting uncomfortable. "Ahem! By the way, you two obviously come from highborn houses. Would you grant me the honor of your names?" I roll my eyes. Nice change of subject.

"I am Eliwood, son of the marquess of Pherae." Lord Eliwood replies.

"I'm Hector. Marquess Ostia's brother." Lord Hector replies.

Merlinus looks excited. "Goodness! Ostia! Pherae! The greatest houses in all of Lycia! Ahh… To be saved by noblemen such as yourselves… It is an honor beyond words!"

I want to go somewhere else. This guy is just plain weird. To my surprise, Lord Hector speaks up. "It's nice to be appreciated for a change. Lately, people just seem to want us dead. Tell me, Merlinus, what are your plans?"

Merlinus looks confused. "Pardon? My plans, my lord? I had planned to travel Lycia selling my merchandise, but… It may not be possible in such dangerous times."

"If that's the case, why don't you come along with us?"

Lord Eliwood looks at Lord Hector amazed and confused. "Hector?"

Lord Hector shrugs. "Our travels will not be ending anytime soon. We've gained more people and more items, right? It might be good to have help managing our things."

Merlinus looks over excited over the idea. "Oho! Now THAT is a splendid idea! Managing merchandise is my specialty, after all!"

"Are you sure?" Lord Eliwood asks not looking convinced.

"Quite sure, my lord. To be honest, I've dreamt of working for a noble house. To have my fondest wish granted in such a way… I cannot stem these tears of joy! Lord Hector! Lord Eliwood! Take me into your bosoms and keep me safe forever!" I cover my mouth trying really hard not to burst out laughing. This is getting weirder and funnier by the moment!

Lord Eliwood obviously looks uncomfortable. "Uh… Thank you. Well met, Merlinus."

Lord Hector seems to shrug the awkward moment off. "We're counting on you! Now, I've got some things I want you to carry…"

"Yes, of course. Whatever you have, Merlinus will keep!"

Everyone starts moving and setting up camp again. I look around for my boots when Guy comes up to me holding them.

"I believe these are what you are looking for." He says handing them to me.

I take them smiling. "Thanks." I pull both boots on.

I then help Rebecca in setting up a tent. Serra is nearby talking to Matthew. She isn't looking happy so she must be complaining to him about something. He isn't looking too pleased to stand there, either. I quickly finish the tent and then walk over to the two.

"Hey, Serra, our tent is up. Want to put your stuff in?" I say interrupting whatever she was saying.

She turns to me and immediately smiles. "Yeah! I want to go to sleep! I am so exhausted!" she says quickly going to the tent.

I laugh. Matthew looks at me appreciatively. "Thanks. I owe you one."

I give him a devious grin. "I will keep that in mind." He gulps and I laugh patting his back. "I'm just messing with yah." He laughs as well. "Well, goodnight, Matt." I say waving to him.

"Good night, Luna." He says waving back.

I walk into the tent with my stuff to see Serra and Rebecca setting their things up. I join them setting up my own belongings. We close the tent door and change into our night clothes. Serra has on a short pink dress, Rebecca with her mid-length light blue one, and I with a pair of black pants and a grey t-shirt. I undo my pony-tail so my hair goes down to near my waist.

I don't feel like talking so while Serra is jibber-jabbering about something to Rebecca I lie down and immediately fall asleep. I start thinking about the nomad that attacked us earlier. It makes me think of Rath. I wonder what he is doing and how he is holding up. I really hope to see him again soon.

* * *

><p><strong>I think this is the only chapter that is going to have a lot of dialogue. I just thought that the merchant was so funny in the game that I had to keep his dialogue. I didn't want to ruin him or the comedy of this chapter so I kept it the way it was. Hopefully, though, next chapter will be a bit more original and fun. ^^ Let me thank the following people and then bid you all ado.<strong>

_Meru-64_

_patattack_

_MattyBoy91  
><em>

_Hyralc_

**See you all Saturday (I promise I won't forget)! ^_^**


	4. Chapter 4

**Good morning, everyone (or whatever time of the day it is for you)! It's Saturday and this time I'm not going anywhere so I can post this chapter! :D So, with this chapter, it's kind of long (as you can see). I feel really nervous about this. I don't know why, but I do. Lot's of things happen in this chapter. Well, don't let me stop you. You just go ahead and read it. Maybe you will see what I mean. If you don't, that is perfectly cool, too. XD**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Fire Emblem or the characters. I own my OC Luna, though. I guess the way Mark acts and stuff is also because of me since in the game we never really know his personality (or her if you make the tactician a girl). *shrug***

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><p><span>Chapter 4:<span>

We arrive at an area near Castle Laus. I could see it in a distance. I've become a bit more used to this constant moving around, traveling, fighting, and other things that goes along with being in Lord Eliwood's crew. Speaking of Lord Eliwood, I see him speaking with Lord Hector right now. They sure are good friends.

I sit down on the grass. I look around my surroundings. It's very quiet for the middle of the day. Other people in the crew are talking to each other and I am by myself. That's fine by me. I feel someone's hand on my shoulder so I look behind me. It's Matthew.

"Hey, what's up?" I say to him.

He smirks. "Want to listen in on their conversation?"

"Isn't that's eavesdropping?" I say raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, come on. It looks like something interesting is about to happen." He looks very mischievous.

I sigh. I do want to know what's going on. "Alright, I'm in." I say smiling.

Matthew clasps his hands together. "Perfect. Alright, follow me."

I stand up. There were a few trees and bushes near the two lords so we quickly rush to them and duck. I look around to see no one has noticed. Good. I see a serious Marcus ride up to both of the lords.

"Lord Eliwood! A knight has ridden forth from the castle." He says.

"A lone knight?" Lord Eliwood asks.

"Yes, my lord. Our scouts say it's Marquess Laus's son, Erik. He is asking to see you."

"Erik?"

Lord Hector looks frustrated. "Gah. Why did it have to be that buffoon?"

"I will see him." Lord Eliwood says ignoring his friend. "Bring him here."

Lord Hector sighs turning around. "I'm leaving. I never could abide him. I'll go for a ride and survey our surroundings."

A few moments pass until a man on a horse rides over. He has brown hair, nothing else much to note. He has a smile on his face. I don't like it; seems too fishy.

"Hello! It's been a long time, Eliwood!"

"Erik… What is your business?" Lord Eliwood says seriously.

Lord Erik looks at him confused. "My business? What do you mean? I heard my old friend was here in Laus. I merely thought I'd ride out to greet you!" Lord Eliwood stays silent. "So tell me, friend, what brings you to Laus? Are you… on your way to Ostia?"

He looks at Lord Erik confused. "Hm? Why would you think that?"

I could see that Lord Erik was fumbling for an excuse. He seems way too suspicious. "Well, you were always such good friends with Hector. He and I never… got along very well. For a noble, his behavior was crude, and his manner of speech… you would have thought him a peasant on first glance." I frown. Not a nice guy. "You're still friends with Hector, aren't you? When did you see him last? How do you communicate?"

I look at Matthew and he looks at me. I can tell that he also sees something wrong with this. I mouth to him, 'I don't like this guy.' He nods. He then puts his finger over his lips and points at the two Lords. I look back at the men.

Lord Eliwood looks at him suspiciously. "Erik… You're after something. What is it?"

Lord Erik decides to play dumb. "Pardon?"

"Everywhere I look, Laus prepares for battle. What are you and your father planning? I will know the truth!" Lord Eliwood looks frustrated now.

"Hm… I'd hoped to wait until you'd told me of Ostia. Of whether you've spoken with the marquess or not."

"What are you talking about?"

Lord Erik smirks an evil grin sending chills up my spine. "Hm heh heh… Eliwood," he says as he glares at the red-haired lord, "I have always despised you. How I've longed to smash you and your pathetic morality into pieces! I've dreamed of this day, and here it is at last!" He was smiling this weird smile now.

"Too bad you'll not live to see the end of it." Lord Hector says stepping in suddenly.

"Hector!" Lord Eliwood says surprised.

Lord Erik looks obviously terrified. "Y-You! Hector! You couldn't… Have you spoken with Ostia already?"

"Maybe we have, maybe we haven't." I hide my giggle. Good answer, Lord Hector, good answer. "Eliwood, this mongrel has troops lying in ambush all around us. Laus regulars, everyone. We're in for a rough time."

"Heh heh… There's little point in fighting. You're trapped! My forces will overwhelm you, an unending torrent of soldiers! Laus's elite knights are at the ready as well. Heh heh… How long do you think you can survive?"

Lord Eliwood exclaims, "Craven cur!"

Lord Erik rides away back to the castle and a bunch of men appear. I feel Matthew's hand on my arm and I look at him. He points at the direction we came from and I nod. We both quickly rush out of there and rejoin with the rest of the group. I spot an old lady walk up to Lord Hector just then. By the time I get over there Lord Hector is getting frustrated.

Lord Hector raises his voice. "Listen up, old woman! You're close to death as it is! Quit your yammering and move on!" That was rude!

"Hector!" Lord Eliwood says glaring at him. Good thing he stepped in. Or else I would have. "You should mind your manners." He then looks at the old lady. "I am Eliwood. May I ask you name, milady?"

She smiles. "Ho ho ho. What a polite young man. I'm Hannah, a fortune-teller. I came here to help you."

"Can you tell me where my father's gone?"

"No… but… I can see other things… useful things. I can tell you what weapons to take into battle, as well as who should wield them. Things of that nature." I find that really cool!

"I see…"

"Don't tell me you believe any of this." Lord Hector says frowning.

"I have no reason to believe or disbelieve in Hannah's powers. But I'll not rule out anything if it helps me find my father."

Eliwood bows before leaving. Ms. Hannah hangs around. That's when I get an idea. I find Mark and smile as I rush up to him.

"Hey, Mark!" I exclaim.

He turns to me. "What are you doing? You know the battle is going to start."

"I think you should talk to Ms. Hannah. She is a fortune teller." I say ignoring his question.

He looks at the old woman that is not too far from us. After thinking for a bit he nods. "Alright, fine. Maybe she can help us."

He walks over to the lady and I watch them talk. She closes her eyes and speaks a bit. I can't hear what she is saying. I'll ask Mark when she returns. Once she is finished speaking my brother hands her a bit of money. I guess that's how she makes her living. He walks over to me.

"Well?" I ask impatiently. "What did she say?"

He pauses thinking. "She says that axe wielders will be very handy. Oh, and that Serra might meet up with someone. Also something about the weather but I'm not sure."

I nod. That's interesting. I'm sure this will help Mark out a lot when it comes for battling. Right now, though, we have to actually fight. I grip my bow tightly and have an arrow out and ready.

I see Merlinus speak with Lord Eliwood. He then smiles setting up his tent. Mark orders Oswin to guard it. The rest of us start moving out. Well, Marcus decided to ride up to my brother, though.

They talk for a quick, brief moment. Then, Marcus rides onward. I decide to follow Serra, Matthew, Rebecca, and Lowen up to where the village is. I then spot a mage that looks very familiar. With a red cape and purple hair it could be none other than-

"Ohmigosh! It's Erk!" Serra squeals. "It's been SO long! What are you doing here?"

Erk looks at her and frowns. "Oh… Serra. You're the last person I wanted to see…"

Serra smiles blushing slightly. "Oh, that's so sweet! You wanted to see me again!" Erk stays silent. "Hey, I know! This is perfect. Come with us and lend a hand, Erk."

He looks at her confused. "I beg your pardon?"

"Come on! I'll even introduce you to Lords Hector and Eliwood! I know you. You're probably just wandering about without work."

"No, Serra. I'm afraid I am gainfully employed." He then pauses in consideration. "However… If you're fighting Laus… This might work out after all."

"What are you babbling about? Make up your mind, will you?" Serra replies placing her hands on her sides.

"My employer is hiding in a village south of here. If you'll help me protect her, I'll join up with you."

I walk up to him. "Hi, Erk! It's been a while." I say waving at him.

He looks at me. "Hello, Luna. Good to see you."

I smile brightly. "I'll help the person you are escorting, okay?"

He nods. "Thank you."

I look at Matthew. "Don't do anything stupid." I tell him.

He looks at me confused. "Me? Do something stupid? Nah."

I laugh. "See yah."

I leave them and run down south to where the other village is. I wonder if I am going to be able to tell who the person is. Most likely a girl, I think. But, then again, I can never be sure. I nearly miss an arrow that gets shot at me so I quickly shoot back. The archer falls. That's what you get for trying to sneak attack me.

It then starts raining. Didn't Ms. Hannah say something about the weather? I am soaking wet by the time I get to the village. I enter and immediately see a girl with short red hair. She approaches me but doesn't seem too happy to.

"Again?" I look at her confused. "Are you another messenger from the marquess?" I open my mouth but she cut me off. "Please, do not waste your time. I will not change my decision."

"Um… I'm not a messenger…" I say hesitantly.

"Pardon? Marquess Laus did not send you?" I shake my head. Her eyes grow wide. "I… I beg your forgiveness. It was my mistake."

I shake my head smiling. "It's alright. I can tell you look stressed out."

She nods. She then ponders over something. "Say… If it's not too much trouble, might I leave with you? I'm on a journey. Marquess Laus is barring my way, and… I'm trapped. I am trained in the use of staves. Please, help me."

"Yeah, sure." I pause. "Is someone by the name of Erk escorting you?"

Her eyes grow wide. "How do you…?"

"He's someone I know. I just talked to him and he asked me to get you."

She nods. "Okay. Oh, my name is Priscilla."

"Luna." I say smiling. "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

We both exit the village. She is on her horse so traveling in the rain is going to be difficult. I make a mental note of the armory and vendor shop. Once the battle is over, I should tell Mark that we need to get stuff. With Merlinus around it is now easy to have a bunch of stuff with us.

As I make my way to the castle with Priscilla, the rain stops. The enemies' numbers have dwindled since the start of this battle. It's because of the hard efforts of everyone.

I then panic a little. I spot Lowen and Rebecca finishing off someone while Matthew finishes off a knight. Lord Erik looks very pissed off. He rides forward. I start sprinting. No! Don't do what I think you are doing! It happens, though. Matthew gets stabbed by Lord Erik's lance. Matthew falls over.

He isn't dead, though. I know because I can see him moving his head up slightly. Lord Erik looks like he is about to give another attack when I crouch down by Matthew and hug him close to me. I glare up at Lord Erik.

He laughs. "What? You think you scare me? Ha! You just signed your own death wish."

"L-Luna?" Matthew mutters.

I look down at him. He looks pale. I try to smile, even though tears are stinging my eyes. "I told you not to do something stupid, didn't I?"

He smiles. "Sorry. I guess… stuff like this can't… be helped."

"Unhand me! I am no one's prisoner! Gwaaa!"

I look behind me. Marcus has dealt with Lord Erik. I sigh in relief. I stand up pulling Matthew up with me. He sure is heavy. I place his arm across my shoulders.

"Thank you, Marcus." I say to the paladin.

He smiles down at me. "Of course. Make sure he sees Serra, okay?"

I nod. I look at Matthew. "Come on. Just walk for a little bit. We'll get you healed up."

"Wait. I can help him." Priscilla says.

I look at her and smile. "Thank you."

Her staff glows and the light transfers to Matthew. He flinches before going limp.

"That should do. He should take it easy, though."

"Thanks."

Guy runs up. "Is he alright?"

I look at him. "Yeah, he just got healed. I do need your help with something, though." Guy nods. "Can you take his other arm and help me carry him by the water? We should get the blood washed off."

Guy does as I ask of him and we walk to where the water is. There is a ledge that is a few feet up from the water. I take off my boots and jump in. It's not too shallow so I was able to go underwater but also be able to stand up. When I came back up, the water above my knees, Guy's eyes were wide.

"You are crazy." He says.

I laugh. "That's not the first time I've heard that. Wanna join me in the water? It feels nice and warm!" He shakes his head. I pout looking to the side. "Wimp…"

"What?" he exclaims. "I'm not!"

I glare at him playfully. "Then get in here! While you're at it, lower Matthew down here!" He pauses. He lowers Matthew down and I grab him. Guy then jumps in. I laugh when he pops back up from underwater. "See? Was that so difficult?"

"Oh, be quiet!" he exclaims angrily.

"I like you, too." I say laughing.

Guy holds Matthew as I wash the blood off of him. I didn't get much cleaned when said person wakes up. His eyes grow wide. Probably surprised he was in water.

"Hi." I say smiling at him. "How are you feeling?"

"Uh… better. What are you doing? Why am I here?"

"I had to wash the blood off of you." I say as I continue doing just that.

"You might also want to clean your shirt." He says.

I look at him not understanding. I look at my shirt. There were a few spots of red on there. I quickly scrub it until they are very faint. After that everything was good. I sigh in relief.

"Now that that's done." I look over Matthew. "You look good, too."

He smirks. "I know I'm handsome."

I lightly punch his arm and he laughs. "You know what I mean!"

Guy also seemed to be laughing. That is, until his eyes focus on something. "Pirates." He says.

I turn around. Sure enough, there are two coming at us. I get my arrow ready. I hit the first on in the chest and he immediately falls over. The second spots me and charges at me. I kind of panic but still get ready to shoot. I let go. It misses. He is a lot closer now. Shoot! I don't have time to pull out another arrow!

"Duck!" Guy exclaims.

I do as told. Guy jumps over me stabbing the pirate through his chest. The pirate's eyes grow wide before he falls on his knees. Guy pulls his sword out and the guy falls on his side.

"Let's get out of the water." I say.

The blue water was being overrun by the red blood. It looks weird. It doesn't belong in there.

"Yeah." Matthew says.

He stands up. We all climb out of the water. I squeeze my hair to let the water splash out. I then do the same with my shirt and skirt. I find my boots and slip those on. Matthew and Guy are also drying themselves off the best they can.

"Come on, you three. Everyone is headed for the castle so we can talk to the Lord." Marcus says.

We all nod. Then we proceed to the castle. I slowly was able to relax after what happened with the pirate. I am used to people dying. It's just… maybe not so soon after a friend of mine just nearly did. What if that pirate was Matthew? I shiver. It's not because I'm cold that I do so…

"Come on, Erik! Get up!" Lord Hector exclaims.

Lord Erik looks up at him. His arms are tied and he is now standing up. "You… You peasants… You can't treat a proper noble like this!" he exclaims.

"It's too late for niceties! Be thankful you're still breathing!"

Lord Eliwood steps forward. "Erik, you must tell me. Where is your father? We've searched the entire castle, and there's no one here." He sounds very calm.

His eyes grow wide. "D-Don't be ridiculous! My father would not abandon… No! He'd never… Ephidel…" he says the last name as if it were a bitter thing.

"Ephidel? Who's that?" Lord Eliwood asks.

Lord Erik keeps his mouth shut.

"Speak, cur! Do you want to die here?" Lord Hector threatens with his axe in hand.

"Ah!"

"Hector!" Lord Eliwood says sternly. He looks back at the brown haired Lord. "Erik… please. You must tell us everything you know. I… I just want to know where my father is."

"…Ephidel… He appeared at the castle one year ago." Lord Erik explains. "He came… and my father changed. Ostia's position had always bothered my father… He felt Laus deserved to rule all of Lycia. But he'd never gone so far as to speak of rebellion."

"Did you say… rebellion?"

He continues on. "Ephidel had something… With it, he convinced my father to set this plan in motion. My father then sent envoys to several other marquesses. Marquess Pherae, he had approved the idea."

Lord Hector asks in disbelief, "What?"

Lord Eliwood glares at Lord Erik. "Never! My father would never agree to such a thing!" he exclaims.

"Believe or disbelieve. That is your choice. First was Marquess Santaruz. Then Marquess Pherae's reply arrived. Marquess Pherae visited here six months ago to seal his approval."

Lord Eliwood's eyes grow wide. "That's not… possible…"

"My father and yours argued vehemently that day. Marquess Pherae always distrusted Ephidel. He tried to convince my father to send Ephidel and the Black Fang assassins out of Lycia. My father would not be persuaded, and Marquess Pherae left the castle. As you know, he then disappeared. I doubt he's still alive."

"No!" he exclaims.

"Shut your mouth!" Lord Hector yells.

Lord Erik smirks. "Eliwood said he wanted to hear everything. My father… He is but Ephidel's puppet. He'll listen to anything that villain says. Even watch his own son… die… Those are the sort of people you're dealing with. Marquess Pherae betrayed them. They would not let him live! Ha ha… ha ha ha ha ha ha…"

"Ah…" Lord Eliwood suddenly ran out of the room.

"Wait! Eliwood!" Lord Hector calls out running after him.

Everyone else stays where they are. This is getting crazy and out of hand. I don't understand what's really happening. I feel so sorry for Lord Eliwood. He must be going through a hard time. I look at the ground. Someone stands in front of me. I don't have to look to know who it is.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"I don't know." Mark replies hugging me. "We need to get things figured out, though."

I nod.

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><p><strong>Alright, so, that's it. I hope this chapter turned out ok. I'm really too lazy to read through this again (also kind of scared to read it again). Yeah, as you can see, I get emotional with my own writing. XD Anyway, let's go to the thanking of the following reviewers.<strong>

**_Meru-64_**

**_patattack_**

**_Hyralc_**

**_MattyBoy91_**

**I'm always glad to have reviewers. I always smile at the comments I get and the criticism makes me feel like my story is actually worth working on and posting online. ^_^ So, as always, thanks to you guys. So, I guess I will see you all next Saturday! :D  
><strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi, everyone! Well, here is the new chapter! I have nothing much to say for this one. Well, just kidding. I actually really like this one! XD I don't know why. Probably because in the beginning I add in a little more original things from myself and not strictly follow the plot of the game. ^^ There will be more things like this. Hopefully, I will make a few chapters where it will be just them walking or hanging out at camp. I really do hope for that to happen one day. Anyway, don't let silly little me stop you from reading this! Go, go, go, go!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own fire emblem or the characters. I own my OC, Luna. I sort of own Mark but at the same time I don't. ^_^'**

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><p><span>Chapter 5:<span>

It's pretty early in the morning. I'm walking around unsure what to do. Things are quiet since not a lot of people are up. At least, as far as I know. My feet are bare so I can feel the soft grass. My night clothes are on because I am too lazy to change. I'm also too lazy to tie my hair up in a pony-tail.

I close my eyes and hum. I start twirling around. After a few seconds I stop. I open my eyes. I am facing the water. Decision made. I walk over to the water edge and sit down. My feet are in the water and I smile. It feels cold but good at the same time. It will feel better later, I bet. I close my eyes.

"Hey." I open my eyes and turn around. "What you doing up so early?" Mark asks.

"I could ask you the same thing." I reply back.

He sits next to me. "It shouldn't be a surprise that I'm up early."

I laugh. "No, I suppose not."

"What about you, then?"

I shrug. "I didn't feel tired."

He pauses. "Is something wrong?"

I shake my head. "Everything is fine."

Another pause. "Well… the others just woke up and are getting breakfast prepared. Come inside when you are ready."

I look at him and smile. "Ok, thanks."

He leaves. I sigh staring at the water. It's nice and clear. Suddenly, I see an image of a dragon in the water. I look up to the sky feeling terrified. Nothing is in the sky but a few clouds. I take a deep breath. I'm still not over my fear of dragons. Ever since my village got attacked, I've been terrified of them.

I close my eyes. I see houses on fire. My brother and I running, that guy with the scary red sword trying to attack me, and the wyvern riders making the houses catch flame. The air filling with smoke as more and more got burned.

"Luna?" someone asks.

I 'eep' a bit too loudly in total surprise. My eyes open wide as I turn to the person. It's Guy. He walks over to me. His own eyes grow wide.

"I-I didn't mean to scare you!" He then observes my face. "Why are you crying?"

I quickly stand up rubbing my eyes. "I-It's nothing."

"There has to be something bothering you." He says.

I blush. I try my hardest to not let people see me cry. Why did Guy have to see it? I look at him and try my best to smile. It's not good since even I can tell it's fake, but I go with it anyway.

"I just thought of something scary," I reply, "so that made me scared. I'm fine, though." He opens his mouth but I cut him off. "Let's go see if breakfast is ready."

Guy pauses for a few moments before sighing. "Alright."

**_(Later)_**

"That was some good stuff!" Bartre exclaims putting his plate down.

Everyone is sitting at the large table in the castle eating breakfast and having different conversations here and there. Bartre tends to be very loud, though, so I can always hear what he is saying. I am sitting by Serra and Rebecca. Serra is talking about something and I pretend to pay attention. It gets difficult when she talks really fast so I have given up trying to understand the point of what she is saying.

Breakfast was very good. It is nice to just sit down in a nice place and enjoy food in peace. Though I doubt the peace will last for too long, it's nice to have it. It's not healthy to be stressed out and worried all the time. These are all good people, too. I feel comfortable with all of them.

It was nearing lunch (by this time I had changed into my normal clothes) and the two lords were talking amongst themselves when Marcus came rushing up to them looking troubled. I walk close to hear what is going on along with Mark.

"Lord Eliwood! Lord Hector!" he exclaims.

"What is it, Marcus? Have you heard something?" Lord Eliwood asks.

"Yes, my lord. A messenger from the east! Castle Caelin has fallen to a surprise attack from Marquess Laus!"

My eyes grow wide. "Castle Caelin?" I exclaim.

Lord Hector looks angry. "They've struck again."

Lord Eliwood just looks concerned. "Lord Hausen, is he unharmed?"

"We've no word on Lord Hausen or his granddaughter, the lady Lyndis." Marcus replies.

"I never expected them to attack Caelin… Lord Hausen… Lyndis…"

"Lord Eliwood, Lord Hector… What should we do?"

"They might still be alive, right? There's only one thing we can do!" Lord Hector says determined.

Lord Eliwood exclaims, "We ride to their aid! There may still be time!" He looks at me and my brother. "Go gather everyone! Tell them to pack up and get ready to leave!"

I nod at him. My brother and I both split up to spread the news to the rest of the group. Quickly we all pack up and we are soon ready to leave. The lords and my brother have a quick discussion before they order that we start moving towards Caelin.

**_(Much Later)_**

It takes us a while (more like a couple of hours) to arrive but, somehow, we made it. The area is filled with soldiers and they don't look friendly. Looks like another fight we are going to get into. I can already tell that this is going to take a while. Oh, well. This might actually be fun…

"I've spotted the enemy…" Lord Eliwood says. He then looks at some of them confused. "Why are their archers advancing? They're aiming at something up high."

Marcus exclaims, "Lord Eliwood, look! Up there! A pegasus knight!"

"Lord Eliwood!" the person in the sky calls out.

I gasp. Is that…? No, it couldn't be. Could it?

"Could it really be…?" Lord Eliwood asks aloud.

I form my hands around my mouth and yell, "Florina, is that you?"

I could see the familiar purple hair and smiled as she replied. "Yes! I'm Lady Lyndis's-"

Lord Eliwood cuts her off. "Florina! Fly lower!"

"Wha-?" I then see the arrow fly into the air making me gasp covering my mouth with my hands. "Oh! Aaaaaaaaah!" The Pegasus starts falling.

"Florina!" I exclaim along with the others.

It lands but Florina falls out. Luckily, Lord Hector was there just in time to catch her. I rush over to her and the lord with my brother and Lord Eliwood behind. Lord Hector is gently holding her bridal style now. My eyes widen.

"Lord Hector." I say. "You should put her down."

He looks at me confused but puts her down anyway. I sigh. If she woke up and found herself in a man's arms, she would surely freak. That is something not needed right now. Especially since she nearly got killed! The poor thing! It's no wonder why Pegasus Knights are scared of archers!

Slowly, Florina opens her eyes. "… Ah…" I smile.

Lord Eliwood speaks. "Can you hear me? Florina?"

Florina looks at him. "Lord Eliwood? …I…"

"Those archers almost hit you. You avoided the arrows, but you lost balance."

She sits up and I help hold her up. She rubs her head. "I'm sorry. I'm such trouble…"

Lord Eliwood smiles gently. "I'm just glad you're not hurt." He then becomes serious again. "Tell me, Florina, weren't you with Lyndis?"

Her eyes widen and she stands up. "Yes! Lord Eliwood, Lady Lyndis is beyond that forest." She says pointing towards the thick woods. "She's waiting for a chance to assault the castle."

Lord Eliwood's eyes grow wide. "She's what?" He sighs. "Ah… Still, it's good to hear she's safe."

Florina smiles. "She's fine." She frowns. "However, Lord Hausen's been captured. He's still in the castle."

"I see. Let's go then!"

I go hug Florina. "I'm so glad you are safe!" I exclaim.

"L-Luna? Oh, it's good to see you." She replies hugging me back.

We let go of each other. I locate her Pegasus and bring it over to her. She takes the reign appreciatively and mounts it.

"Are you sure you are ok?" I ask. "You just fell from the sky!"

She smiles nodding. "I will be fine. I have to return to Lady Lyndis."

I smile with an idea. "Let me ride with you. I can shoot enemies down for you."

Florina says, "Ok, sure."

I climb on her Pegasus and she sits in front of me. I grab her shoulder when the Pegasus flies into the air.

"Fly low," I advise, "unless you want to repeat the incident earlier."

She flies lower. We fly by two villages. One of them Dorcas enters. The other one a red-armored knight is nearby fighting a sword-wielder. I think it's… oh my! It's Kent! I shoot an arrow down at the sword-wielder and it hits his shoulder. Kent then finishes him off with his lance. Kent looks up.

"Florina," I say, "could you land, please?"

Florina lands. I jump off of the Pegasus and run up to the knight. I wave excitedly. I can see the shock on his face. Soon I'm right by him smiling brightly.

"Hi there, Kent!" I exclaim. "Long time no see!"

He gets over the shock and smiles back. "It has been too long. How are you, Luna?"

"Good." I look around the area. Florina has already flown off. I guess she really needs to see Lady Lyn. I look back at Kent. "How are you guys holding up?"

Kent's face becomes serious. "We are holding up alright. However, it's good to get assistance." He pauses. "What brings you here, anyway?"

"I'm with Lord Eliwood's group traveling. Florina flew over and told us what was going on. We already heard of the attack, though, and were on our way."

He smiles again. "Thank you. We could definitely use the extra help to get back into the castle."

I nod. "Right. We better start moving, then."

Kent nods before riding off. I spot Erk entering the village so I leave him to that. I start running past the village and towards the castle. I can see everyone fighting and working together to defeat the enemy soldiers. I hope this ends soon. I want to be able to talk to everyone.

"Look out!" a man calls.

I look around to see a lance-wielder running towards me. I don't have enough time to pull out my arrow! He is too close! An arrow goes through the man's chest sinking in deeply. He freezes in place before finally falling over. All of it felt like slow motion. What just happened? I didn't shoot that arrow. I turn around.

"Luna?" the man exclaims running towards me.

I hug him smiling widely. "Wil!"

He hugs me back. "Wow, it's so good to see you!"

I back up nodding. "It's good to see you, too!"

Wil then looks at me confused. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm with Lord Eliwood's group. We came to help you guys."

He smiles. "Great! Let's go for the castle, then."

"Alright." I reply.

We both run up together. We fought a few more soldiers before reaching the castle. We both make it just in time to see Lady Lyn finish off the general at the front of the castle. He falls over. I spot my brother and run over to him. Everyone groups up.

Lord Eliwood talks to Lady Lyn. I walk with everyone else to the entrance of the castle. While we wait Mark talks to Lord Hector. Lord Hector then leaves to talk to the two other lords. I think we are going to be heading inside the castle.

After a few more moments of waiting, the three lords walk over to our group. We are all then together.

Lady Lyn smiles and exclaims. "Mark! Is it really you, Mark?"

My brother looks at her and smiles. "Hello, Lady Lyn."

"So good to see you! Have you been well?"

"Yes, I have. How are you?"

"I'm good, thank you."

Kent rides up to us and bows at my brother. "Well met, Mark. Good to see you again."

My brother nods. "Likewise."

"Luna!" I turn to see Sain riding up. He has a strange, dreamy look on his face. "Ah… You still take my breath away!"

I sigh. "Good to see you, too." I mutter under my breath, "Womanizer."

Sain looks at me confused. "Did you say something?"

I fake a smile. "Nope! Nothing at all!"

Luckily, Wil walks over just in time. "Hello, Mark! Has it really been a year?"

"Yes, it has." My brother replies.

I spot Florina hiding behind Lady Lyn. She looks at the Pegasus rider. "What's wrong, Florina? You needn't hide back there."

Florina steps up. "Um… Nice to see you again. I don't suppose you… Do you… remember me?"

Mark smiles gently. "Of course I remember you, Florina."

Florina blushes smiling. She then leaves.

"Everyone who remained in Caelin speaks of you two fondly." Lady Lyn says. "We're always saying, I wonder where Mark and Luna are…"

Mark says, "I would like to catch up, but right now we need to enter the castle."

Lady Lyn nods. "Yes… you're right. This isn't the best time for catch up. We're here to rescue my grandfather. Mark, will you help me again?"

"Of course. I am a tactician, aren't I?" Mark replies smirking.

Lady Lyn laughs. "A very good tactician at that."

Mark looks over at the group. "Alright, everyone!" he says loudly. "Let's enter the castle and get it back!"

Everyone cheers. We all quickly enter Castle Caelin. I follow behind smiling. I know we are going to be fighting some more, but I can't help myself! It has been so long since we have been reunited like this!

I want to be able to set up camp tonight and get in a large circle with everyone. That way we can catch up, laugh, and have fun. It's been a while since I have had fun with a large group of people. The past year hasn't been the most exciting for me. I wonder what it was like for everyone else.

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><p><strong>How was it? I need you guys to review so I know how it is going, if I need to improve anywhere, ideas for the story, ect. If you notice in the beginning, there is a very tiny little scene with Luna that helps suggest the naming of this fanfic. It's not very clear now, but it most certainly will in the later chapters (whether soon or late). Let me thank the following reviewers! Yeah!<strong>

_**Meru-64 (Oh, you and your pairing ideas for Luna XD)**_

_**patattack (I'm glad you liked that one scene. I did, too. ;) )**_

_**MattyBoy91 (I always appreciate the criticism. :D)  
><strong>_

**_Hylarc (Luna will be interacting with more people as the story progresses. Promise. ^_^)_**

**And, with that, I bid you all ado. I have to get ready to go out to lunch with friends. We are going to a noddle place! Yeah! :D I've been sick all day yesterday so it's good to actually be able to eat food again! XD See you all next Saturday (hopefully)! ^_^_  
><em>**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello, everyone. I know this is later than usual (posting this at 9 PM o.o) but I was busy this week with exams so I didn't have a lot of time to work on the thing. But, I have been working hard all afternoon and evening typing this chapter up! So, I hope it's good! ^_^**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or the the characters. I own Luna, my OC.**

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><p><span>Chapter 6:<span>

As we all gather around the entrance of the castle I can feel the nerves eating away at me. I don't know why but I feel extra jittery. Maybe because I just went through one long fight and now I have to go through another one. This is all for the effort of regaining Lady Lyn's castle.

I can hear the others talking but I drown them out. I focus on looking into the castle and trying to see where I need to go. Already I can spot a few soldiers. Lots of them have bows and arrows equipped. This isn't going to be good for Florina. I look around trying to find her. I spot her in the back of the group.

I jog up to her. "Florina." I say.

She looks at me worriedly. "What is it, Luna?"

I pet her pegasus' head. "You might want to hang back a bit. I spotted quite a few archers in there."

I watch as Florina grows pale in the face. She nods.

I smile reassuringly. "You will be okay. Mark is a very good tactician so I bet he will make sure you stay safe. I'll help protect you."

Florina smiles and I see the color return to her face. "Thank you."

"Everyone!" I hear Mark exclaim. I look for him and spot him near the steps of the castle. "Let's regain the castle!"

Everyone cheers in agreement. I spot Merlinus setting up his tent. Oswin stands by the tent like a guard would. I can see that the group has already started to move. I stay by Florina as we carefully move forward. At the front lines there is already some fighting going on.

I see arrows fly over the walls at those that were against the wall. That would include me. Luckily they are not too close to Florina or her pegasus so they are safe. For now, that is. It felt like only moments until all of us were officially in the castle.

As the others go straight I spot Matthew and Guy going down a hall to the side. I look for Florina to see she is close to Lord Hector. Mark looks at me and points in the direction of where the two guys just went. I nod and follow them.

Guy fights off an archer. I continue running until I am past Matthew and near a dark mage. That's when I notice dark shadows surrounding me. Oh, no. I've never experienced magic attacks before.

It doesn't matter how much I think it through because it hits me and I feel the pain inside my body. I grab an arrow from my quiver and aim at the magic wielder. I shot and it hits his arm that is holding a tome. He drops the book looking in pain.

Matthew swiftly runs up and cuts the guy down with his knife. The magic wielder is now down and no longer a problem. Guy stands next to me as I clench my hands.

"Are you alright?" he asks. "I saw the magic hit you."

I smile nodding. "I'm fine. I hardly feel the pain."

It's a lie but there is no time to worry about my injuries. Neither Priscilla nor Serra are nearby to heal me up. I will just have to wait until we are done in this hallway. I wonder what is down here, anyway.

"Come on!" Matthew calls. "I spot a door!"

Guy and I rush up to Matthew as he picks at the lock. He does it quickly so that in a matter of seconds the door is open. He opens the door. I sigh in relief. There are no enemy soldiers in the room. There are, on the other hand, two chests.

"I'm going to the tent." Guy says. I glance at him confused. "I am going to help Oswin guard it." He explains.

"Oh, okay." I say now understanding.

Oswin might be a strong knight, but even really strong people need help. They can't do everything on their own. That would be very stressful. Guy leaves. Matthew goes ahead to one of the chests. I stand by the door and keep a look out for possible enemy soldiers. I hear the echoes of metal clashing from a distance. I hope that everyone is doing alright.

"I got the stuff." Matthew says. I turn to look at him. He looks very serious as he clutches the bag on his back. "We better go catch up to the others. I have a hunch that these aren't the only chests in the castle."

I nod. We run down the hall to where the others had gone. I don't approve of the stealing but we do need the stuff. Plus, this is Lady Lyn's castle. Hopefully she will be okay with it. Well, on the other hand, she could get very mad because of it. Matthew won't tell her, anyway.

When Matthew and I catch up to the rest of the group I spot three soldiers dressed in green walking along against the wall. I also spot Priscilla on her horse tending to some people using her healing staff.

"Hey, Priscilla!" Matthew calls out.

Priscilla turns around hearing him and rides towards the two of us. "What is it? Does someone need healing?"

Matthew points at me. I glance at him slightly surprised. "She got hit by some dark magic." He explains.

The red-haired healer looks at me and nods. She holds up her staff. I gasp as I feel the warmth of its power flow through my body. I remember this feeling last year when Serra healed my side of the slash. It feels like so long ago but it is still comforting and an amazing thing.

Priscilla lowered her staff and the glowing, warm feeling ended. I no longer feel the strange pain in my body. I look up at her and smile widely with appreciation.

"Thanks a lot!" I exclaim. "I feel much better!"

She smiles gently. "You are welcome. It is my duty, after all."

Priscilla then rides down a hall to the right. Everyone else has probably gone straight. Even Matthew is already gone. He is such a sneaky person. Always ready to pick at doors and chests. I decide to run down the hall that Priscilla went.

I come to a scene with her talking to a red-haired sword wielder. They must know each other somehow. I wonder how, though. I don't want to be rude so I continue going down the hallway and leave them alone.

I spot an open door. It looks like a prison cell. Hesitantly I pull an arrow out and prep it near my bow. I then step towards the entrance. Quickly I jump in glancing around the room. In the corner, I see someone with long blond hair and white robes. I gasp and my eyes grow wide as I recognize the person.

"L-Lucius?" I exclaim.

He also greets me with wide eyes. "I know you. You're name is… Luna, right?"

I lower the bow and arrow smiling. "Yes, it's me. From last year." I walk up to him. "Did you get captured here?"

Lucius nods. "I am waiting for Raven. Have you seen him?"

I shrug. "What does he look like?"

He smiles ever so slightly. "He is a stern looking man wielding a sword. He had red hair."

I smile brightly. "I have! I walked by him coming over here! He was talking to Priscilla, a healer that is in my group."

Lucius' eyes grow wide. "Priscilla…" he whispers.

I look at him confused. "You know her, too?"

"I do." He looks around. "We better get out of here."

I nod. "I don't like being in here."

He smiles sweetly making me blush. He really is a beautiful person. "Me, neither."

"You must be tired." I comment. "I'll protect you, okay?" I say the last part with a 'thumbs up' smiling.

Lucius laughs. "Thank you."

I step out of the cell first examining the area. No enemy soldiers around. Good. I motion for Lucius to follow behind. We walk quickly down the hallway in order to catch up with the others. I see Priscilla and Raven are no longer down here. They must be up ahead, too.

Lucius and I reach were everyone is gathered. In the throne room the general is standing there panting for breath. Great. Here just in time just to see him get killed. I don't like watching this. My eyes are glued, though, as I watch Lord Hector strikes one powerful hit with his Wolf Beil.

The general falls after muttering a few words that I cannot hear from where I am standing. The general did not look like a bad person. He looked serious but not creepy, evil or anything you would expect from a bad, evil person.

"Grandfather!" Lady Lyn exclaims. "Grandfather! Where…"

I walk up to the throne where the three lords and my brother are gathered.

"Lord Hausen?" Lord Eliwood asks loudly looking around. "Where are you?"

I look at the throne to see red spots. Could it be? I look at Lord Hector and touch his arm to get his attention. He glances at me. I point at the red stains and he looks. His eyes grow wide a bit for a split second. He then turns to face Lord Eliwood.

"Eliwood." Lord Hector says. "Here, on the throne… It's blood."

Lady Lyn's eyes grow wide and she becomes pale. "Blood? No! It can't be!"

Lord Eliwood turns to her quickly. "Lyndis! Calm down. He might only be injured. Come, let us find him."

She closes her eyes and takes a few deep breaths. "Yes, you're right. I must be calm." She looks around until she suddenly freezes. "There!" she exclaims pointing to a shadow. "Over there! There's someone…"

Lord Eliwood steps in front of Lady Lyn to protect her. I grab an arrow and grip my bow tightly ready to shoot at anyone.

Lord Eliwood asks firmly, "Who's there? Show yourself!"

A woman with cool, beautiful red hair steps out from hiding. She silently steps closer towards us. I pull out an arrow and raise my bow to aim at her. She better not try anything funny. If she even _dares_ trying to hurt anyone I won't hesitate to shoot her down.

"You… Leila!" Lord Hector exclaims.

I look at the lord surprised. He knows her? What the heck is going on? Suddenly Matthew is right next to me. He places his hand on my arm and forces me to lower my bow. I do so while returning my arrow into my quiver.

"Yes, it's me, Lord Hector." Leila says. I look at her. "It's been a long time."

Lord Eliwood looks at Lord Hector confused. "You know her?"

Lord Hector becomes serious once more. "Yes, her name's Leila. She… works for Ostia…" He pauses. He then sighs heavily. "All right, she's a spy."

Leila seems to ignore him and looks at the other two lords. "Lord Eliwood of Pherae and Lady Lyndis of Caelin, correct?" She bows. "I am Leila. Pleased to make your acquaintance." She then stands straight up. "Lady Lyndis, Marquess Caelin is back there receiving treatment."

Lady Lyn's eyes grow wide. "My grandfather is safe?"

Leila doesn't answer right away. "His life is yet his own." She finally replies.

Lady Lyn smiles closing her eyes. "Ah! Father Sky and Mother Earth! I thank you for your mercy!"

"Leila, what are you doing here?" Lord Hector asks.

"I…" Leila pauses. "I'm following Lord Uther's orders. I'm investigating Marquess Pherae's disappearance."

Lord Eliwood perks at that. "My father? What have you learned?"

"Come with me. We should talk in private."

Lady Lyn and Leila walk off to somewhere. Lord Hector was about to go when he sees Lord Eliwood not moving. I wonder if he is alright.

"Huh?" Lord Hector asks. "Come on, Eliwood."

"Ah…" Lord Eliwood pauses glancing at the ground.

Lord Hector sighs. "Worrying about things won't change them."

Lord Eliwood shakes his head. "I know. I'm fine. Let's go!"

They both leave together. I look at my brother. "Mark." He looks at me. "Are you going with them?"

He nods. "I'm the tactician. I need to be there with the three lords."

I nod. He then walks quickly to follow the lords and the spy named Leila. I then glance at Matthew. He looks… different, somehow. He notices me looking at him and glances at me curiously.

"What's on your mind?" he asks.

I pause tilting my head. "Do you know her?"

He pauses before smiling once more and looking at the direction she left in. "Remember last year I told you about me having someone special?"

I think back to the time when we danced and everyone was having fun together before the battle against Lady Lyn's evil uncle.

"Yeah, I remember." I reply.

"Well…" Matthew looks back at me. "That's her."

I blush smiling widely. "Wow! Really?" I exclaim. "She is so pretty!"

He blushes laughing. "She really is, isn't she?"

"I'm happy for you." I say. "Even though you both have dangerous jobs as spies, you still find love with one another. It's so sweet."

"You think so?" he asks.

I nod. "I know so."

I giggle a bit nudging his arm with my elbow. He laughs. After that we waited for the three lords patiently along with everyone else. Guy joined us and we three sat down leaning against a wall. Lucius and Raven were talking with each other. As for Priscilla, I don't know where she went. Everyone else I could see, though.

After what seemed like forever the three lords, Leila and my brother were done talking privately. Matthew got up right away to talk to Leila. I smile blushing. He is lucky. To find love and to be happy with that special someone. Even if they are busy, they are still able to love one another. One day, I know I will.

Somewhere else, I see Lady Lyn talking with three soldiers. I guess they were imprisoned when the castle was taken over by the Laus soldiers. I feel bored immediately. Even Guy has now disappeared to somewhere leaving me alone. I am too tired to get up, though. For now, I'm going to close my eyes and relax a bit. Today was a pretty hectic day.

* * *

><p><strong>You know what I find kind of funny? This is chapter 6. This is when the prologue ended. Plus, Matthew talks about the little dance party they had in the prologue ON CHAPTER 6! XD Kind of silly but I love noticing stuff like that! This wasn't intentional, either. lol Anyway, let me move on to thanking the following reviewers:<strong>

**_patattack (Slowly getting closer to the chapter where I can use your idea. I'm pretty impatient about it. XD)  
><em>**

**_Meru-64 (Well, now you can make history and write a fanfic on a fanfic if you want. XD)  
><em>**

**_Hyralc (Sorry for the confusion!__ . My humblest apologies. *bows*)_**

**_SuperNova23 (New reviewer! Yeah! Makes me REALLY happy! I promise to review your fanfic at some point in the future! :D)_**

**_ExposedWiresExposedVeins [a.k.a. MattyBoy91] (Thank you for always being my support. Even for times when I am a total idiot you are always there with kind words and give me a good shove forward. ^_^)_**

**Well, that's it folks. My last day of school is on Tuesday so hopefully that SHOULD (not saying it definitely will) give me more free time to work on it. See you next Saturday and hopefully the chapter will be posted in the morning or at least in the afternoon. (Not at night time. -_-') Until next week, my awesome readers. :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello, everyone! I just woke up 10 minutes ago (it's now 11:21 am) but let's get this started! READ THIS! IF YOU NORMALLY DON'T READ THIS PART, NOW WOULD BE THE TIME! So, something different happens in this chapter. Instead of the fight with the pirates, there are gonna be fights in the arena. So I don't want reviews saying "What the heck? This doesn't happen in the game!" Yeah, duh, I realize that! Just go with it! This chapter was so long and I had to change a few things so I worked on this all night! If there are a lot of mistakes that I didn't catch then I'm. I basically stayed up until one in the morning to get this finished in time. XP Sorry for this being long but let's go ahead and get the chapter started!**

**Disclaimer:** **I do not own anything of the game or characters. I only own my OC, Luna (well, I guess I also own the OC's at the arena). ^_^'**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 7:<span>

"For the thousandth time, I don't need to sit on a horse!" I complain. "I'm fine!"

He looks at me and sighs in annoyance. "And I told you a thousand times that you do." He says in an even toned voice glaring at me. "You twisted your ankle so you shouldn't walk on it."

"Hey, hey, you guys." Sain says smiling nervously. "There is no need to argue."

My brother walks ahead leaving me behind on Sain's horse. I'm riding on it while Sain is walking leading it by the reign. I watch my brother as he walks away. I start feeling some guilt swell up inside of me. I didn't mean to be so rude like that. I just don't want to be treated like a baby. I want to be able to hold on my own.

"Luna."

I jump and look next to me. Lady Lyndis is next to the horse smiling up at me.

I smile at her. "Hi, Lady Lyndis. Is there something I can help you with?"

She shakes her head. "I just wanted to tell you that Mark means well. He worries about you."

I snort. "A little too much." I reply.

"That's 'because you are his younger sister. He wants you to be safe." She looks at the ground. "It's never good to lose family."

I look at her sadly. I always forget that her parents are gone and she has no siblings. All she has is her grandfather.

"I'm sorry, Lady Lyndis." I say. "I didn't-"

She smiles up at me cutting me off with, "It's alright. What I'm trying to say is… the group we have here… we are all friends. It's not a bad thing to lean on one another once in a while. Especially when we need it."

My eyes grow wide. I can't argue with that. She really does have a point. I sigh in defeat.

"You are right." I say. "I'm sorry."

Lady Lyndis pats my leg reassuringly. "Make sure you and Mark make up." She winks saying, "I'm sure he would like that."

I smile giggling slightly. "Thank you, Lady Lyndis."

_**(Much Later at Port of Badon)**_

Sain helps me down the horse. I can see the blush on his face as his hands are on my sides. As soon as he puts me down I shove him back so he falls down right on his behind. I laugh as he sits up looking up at me with puppy eyes.

"Luna!" he whines. "Why do you have to be so mean?"

"'Cause you are a pervert." I reply.

The group laughs watching us. That's when my brother comes up and hugs me.

"I'm sorry." He says.

I smile hugging him back. "No, I'm sorry. I was being childish when you were only trying to help."

We let go and I see his warm smile. He definitely needs to smile more. Seeing a grumpy face doesn't make him look nice. The brother I knew when we were kids smiled all the time. Mark nods before walking to where the three lords had grouped up. When did he start becoming more serious? My eyes widen.

"Do you need help walking around?" someone asks.

I snap out of my daze and turn to see Lucius. I smile still feeling a bit shaken up. "Um… I think I'm okay for now. Thank you, though."

His face changes to concern. "Are you alright? You look pale."

"I'm fine." I say quickly.

He was about to speak when suddenly someone calls out, "Lucius!"

Lucius and I both turn to see its Raven calling for him. He is standing by Priscilla looking grumpy. Lucius smiles at me apologetically.

"I'm sorry." He says. "When someone calls for me, I answer."

I laugh slightly nudging him towards the two red heads. "Just go, ok?"

He nods before jogging over to the two. The three of them make a nice little group, I notice, as they stand together talking about something. I try to make a step in another direction but I immediately feel the pain shoot up my leg making me flinch shutting my eyes tightly.

"You shouldn't walk on it yet."

I look up to see the source of the voice, Dorcas. I haven't talked to him much at all so I always forget the fact that he is tall and very muscled; makes me a bit intimidated. He is such a warm person, though, making me comfortable around him at the same time. I seriously need to make up my mind.

I nod. "Sorry. I thought it would be healed by now."

"Would you like me to carry you around?" he asks.

I look around. I see the three lords talking to someone by the ships. Everyone else is talking among themselves. I look back at Dorcas.

"Sure." I reply smiling. "Thank you." He picks me up and places me on his shoulder. I gasp looking down at him. I exclaim, "You're strong!"

He looks up at me smiling. "You are light."

I smile wider. "I guess that's good for you, then."

Dorcas smiles. Suddenly, I spot Lady Lyndis walking away looking frustrated. I wonder what's wrong with her. I look back at the lords to see my brother is talking with them as well. My brother walks up to me and Dorcas.

"We are going to the inn over there." He says pointing to a building.

I look at Mark confused. "Why?"

He sighs. "No one is willing to take us to the Dread Isle so we are going to ask the pirates there."

"Is that safe?"

"It's the only option we have."

I gulp. "Let's go, then." I look down at Dorcas. "Can you just carry me to there? You can put me down at the entrance."

"Sure." He replies.

Mark walks next to Dorcas as he carries me to the inn. At the entrance he puts me down. My brother then helps me walk into the inn. The strong stench of alcohol fills the air as we make our way to the two lords Hector and Eliwood. An old pirate walks up to them.

"What do you want, whelps?" the man asks. "You're here to see me, aren't you?"

Lord Eliwood steps forward. "You're commander of the pirate armada, aren't you?"

"Gwah hah hah!" I jump at his laugh. "'Commander of the pirate armada'! I like the sound of that!" Chills suddenly run up my spine. "Are you lads that naïve? Or are you just dumb? Which is it?"

Lord Hector becomes angry and steps up. "You insolent…"

Mark blocks him while Lord Eliwood looks at him sternly. "Peace, Hector!" Lord Eliwood exclaims. He looks back at the pirate. "If I've insulted you, I apologize. How should I address you?"

The pirate crosses his arms. "Hmph… You don't frighten easily, do you?" He sighs. "Well, at least it seems you're not stupid. "Captain" will do, whelp." He then places his hands on his sides. "I'm Fargus, captain of the Davros."

"Fargus…" Lord Eliwood says. "Master Fargus? Or should I call you Captain?"

"You're not one of my mates. Call me Fargus." Fargus then glares. "Now, what do you want?"

"We want to book passage to Valor."

Fargus pauses. "How much will you pay?"

Lord Eliwood shakes his head unsure. "We don't know the current rates. Tell us how much you want."

Fargus smirks. "100,000 gold."

My eyes grow wide. "What?" Mark asks bewildered. "100,000 gold!"

Fargus crosses his arms. "Well? Will you pay?"

Lord Eliwood ponders for a bit. He looks at my brother unsure. Mark nods. "We've no choice, but we need a little time. We'll get the gold and return as quickly as possible." Lord Eliwood then looks at Lord Hector. "Come, Hector."

Lord Eliwood steps out of the inn in a rush. Mark returns to my side ready to help me walk out.

"Wa-Wait a moment!" Lord Hector calls shocked. "Eliwood!" He rushes out of the inn.

Mark and I were making our way out when I feel a hand touch my butt. I turn around quickly pissed off and slap the guy across the face. The pirate topples over out of his chair. He looks at me his face pink from all the alcohol he probably drank. The cheek I slapped turns red.

"Don't you dare touch me." I say angrily. "I already know a pervert. I don't need a drunken pirate touching me."

As my brother helps me out I hear the pirates laughing behind me. I look at my brother to see him angry.

"I should punch the guy." He mutters.

I smile. "It's ok. I think I took care of him well."

Mark smiles at me. "Good reflexes. I could hear the slap very clearly."

I giggle. "When I'm mad, you don't want to mess with me."

"What? You're not serious?" I hear Lord Hector exclaim.

Mark and I walk over towards them.

"We've no other way, do we?" Lord Eliwood asks him.

"Well, no." Lord Hector replies. He says something else but I can't hear it well since it's so quiet.

"Did you say something, Hector?" Lord Eliwood asks.

Lord Hector shakes his head. "No, nothing. Let's go earn some gold!"

They were pretty much ready to do what they needed to do when a pirate runs up to us. I prepare myself just in case he is a pervert, too.

"Ahoy!" he calls. "Hold your ground, boys!"

Lord Hector groans. "What now? We don't have the money yet."

The pirate frowns. "Fool! Of course you don't! I know that. The captain's got a message for you."

"A message?" I ask.

He nods. "If you can defeat the five champions at the arena, the captain is going to give you passage."

"For free?" Mark asks. "No gold?"

The pirate shrugs. "The captain's a tad off-kilter. He'd rather have a bit o' fun with you than take your gold. Smooth sailing for you." He runs towards what I assume to be the arena. "You better hurry up!"

Lord Hector frowns. "Oh, for… This is a joke, isn't it?"

Lord Eliwood says, "Looks serious enough. Let's go!"

Everyone walks towards the arena. I feel bad for slowing down Mark, though. I'm sure he wants to be up front so he can talk to the two lords. Speaking of the lords, I wonder where Lady Lyndis is. Is she upset about whatever happened earlier? I hope she comes back soon.

"You walk ahead, Mark." I say to my brother. "You need to plan things for the arena fights."

He looks down at me unsure. "I can't leave you behind."

I smile. "I'll be fine on my own."

After a moment he nods. "Be careful." He says.

"I will." I reply.

He walks ahead leaving me behind. I sigh. All I have to do is be careful how I walk and I should be ok. As the other members of the group walk ahead, I tread carefully. Stupid twisted ankle. If it wasn't for you, I would be fine right now and not such a burden.

"Excuse me?"

I turn around to spot a man with purple hair. He is wearing dark robes and has a glass piece in front of his one eye. I also notice he is carrying what looks like a book of some kind; possibly a tome.

"Yes?" I reply.

He smiles politely. "I was speaking with an old sailor a few moments ago. He told me that you're planning to travel to Valor. Is that so?"

I nod. "It's true."

His eyes grow wide. "Really? So that's why you are dealing with pirates?" I nod again. "…I see. In that case, would you mind if I joined you? My name is Canas. I'm a scholar of sorts… I've been seeking passage to Valor, but none will take me. My proposal probably sounds somewhat selfish, no?" I open my mouth to speak but he just continues on talking. "You should know, I can help in combat. I've some skill with a form of elder magic… Some call it dark magic, a rather biased term, if I must be blunt. But at the very least, I can take care of myself, and perhaps others."

I smile. "That would be very helpful, actually. Sure, you can join. You just need to talk to my brother, Mark. He's the tactician of the group I travel with."

He nods. "I understand. Thank you." He looks down at my foot. "You injured yourself?"

"Yeah."

"Let me help you, then." He offers.

"Great, thanks. I can lead you to my brother this way, too."

So that's how Canas ends up helping me walk over to the arena. I spot Lady Lyndis with the two other lords. I'm glad to see that she is back. I hope she is ok now. I then locate Mark reading a book. Why is he reading a book now? Something to help him think of a plan?

"Mark!" I call to him waving.

He sees me and Canas. He walks over to us keeping the book open.

"Who is this?" he asks looking at the magic user.

"This is Canas." I introduce. "He uses da-… elder magic." I say quickly. I almost forgot that Canas doesn't like the term 'dark magic'. "He wants to join our group."

Mark eyes him over. Then he nods. "Welcome to the group. I could use your skills for this particular fight."

Canas smiles. "I will gladly do whatever is needed of me."

_**(A Short While Later)**_

"The first champion, Saeran!" the announcer calls out.

The crowd cheers as an archer steps into the ring. My heart pounds from the loud noises.

"The challenger… Wil!"

Wil steps out into the ring. The crowd claps some more. I wish I could be out there but my ankle is bad. I hope Wil does alright. I close my eyes tightly hoping the first battle goes well.

"Begin!" the announcer calls!

I open my eyes and watch. Wil takes the first shot. It hits the man's side when he tries to dodge. I smile. So far so good! The champion then takes a shot. It scratches Wil's shoulder making me gasp. That was a little too close to the face!

The fight continues on. I stand up and lean against the wall. Everyone in the group excluding the next four who will fight and my brother are sitting up in the audience. They are sitting down in the ring watching the fight. Mark is there to make sure no one on our side ends up dying. I gulp at the terrifying thought.

After a few minutes of fighting I can see that Wil is not doing well. I hate to think it but the other archer seems to out-match him. He looks exhausted, too. Both guys are bleeding from cuts and other wounds but Wil has been hit the most.

"Wil, get out of there!"

I look down. My brother is standing up looking panicked at Wil. Wil looks at him and nods sadly. He quickly raises his hand in the air. It's the sign that he surrenders in the fight. A large bell rings signaling the end of the match.

The announcer yells, "The winner is our first champion, Saeran!"

The crowd cheers loudly. Wil walks over to the bench in the ring and sits down. Mark pats him on the back saying a few things which I can't hear. The crowd is really hyped up. Saeran leaves the ring. The crowd settles down.

"Our second champion, Nanda!" the announcer calls.

The crowd cheers once more as a magic user steps up. From the robes, I can tell he uses anima spells. So, that means Mark is sending out…

"The challenger… Canas!"

The crowd claps and cheers. I smile to myself. Just like I thought. This fight should turn out better. Dark magic has an advantage over anima. I don't know why, but I just know it does. I remember Mark telling me this a long time ago when he was first learning to become a tactician. He showed me a book, too.

"Begin!"

This time the second champion was the one to attack first. He uses fire magic but it misses Canas. Canas quickly reacts by opening his magic tome and chanting up a spell. I could see the dark symbol under him. It appears so fast, though, that the champion can't dodge. So, the hit lands.

After a bit of fighting, the champion retreats. The bell rings and I smile. The champion might have been faster but Canas' spells had more effect on him than the guy's fire magic.

"The winner is the challenger, Canas!"

The crowd cheers. I hear my own group clap and cheer as well. I clap still leaning against the wall. I wonder who the next champion is. I bet Mark does, though. That's why he picked the people he did to fight. I still feel sorry for Wil, though.

"Next is our third champion, Kalei!"

Crowd cheers as a female sword wielder steps forward. She looks very intimidating from where I am sitting. She has long pink hair up in a pony-tail. Kalei looks beautiful and tough.

"The challenger… Guy!"

Guy steps forward. A sword wielder against a sword wielder... I wonder how this is going to turn out. I'm surprised Mark didn't use a lance wielder. I should ask him about it later.

"It's because he asked."

I look next to me to see Matthew standing next to me. I look at him confused.

"What do you mean? Guy asked to fight?"

Matthew nods. "Apparently Guy knows the champion so he basically begged Mark to let him fight her."

My eyes grow wide. "Really?" I look back at the ring. "I wonder how he knows her."

"Who knows?" Matthew asks.

"Begin!" the announcer calls.

In a flash both blades clashed with each other. They were both fast as they jumped back and launched at each other again. It was getting hard to keep track of their movements. Even the moments when either one gets hurt. I could feel the tension within the air.

After what felt like a long while there was a clash. Then a sword flew into the air. I watch it spin a few times and then fall to the ground point first. It stabs the ground. That's when I see Guy had fallen back and the other sword wielder had her sword pointing at his face.

I could see she was saying something. I wish I could hear what she was saying! Guy looks at her angrily before sighing in defeat. He raises his hand. The bell rings.

"The winner is our third champion, Kalei!"

Crowd cheers. The champion says a few more things to Guy before helping him up. She then walks out of the ring. Guy grabs his sword and sits down at the bench.

"Poor Guy." I say.

"Hey, he can't win every fight." Matthew says.

I sigh. "I know, but still…"

"Our fourth champion, Zacheus!"

The crowd cheers as this time an axe wielder steps forward. He looks muscled and pretty strong. I've noticed that a lot with axe wielders. They all seem to have thick muscles.

"The challenger… Raven!"

My eyes grow wide. It's the red haired sword wielder that my brother decided to use. I have yet to see him fight so this should be fun to watch. I hope he does well. If we lose another fight we are done for. We won't be able to get free passage to Dread Isle.

"Begin!"

The axe wielder attacks first. Raven dodges with ease. The guy looked faster than normal axe wielders and yet somehow Raven dodged like it was no problem. It's good to know he is fast on his feet. How does he do attacking wise?

I watch as Raven charges forward and slashes the guy. A cut appears across the chest area. I gasp watching the blood flow out. The axe wielder stumbles only slightly. To my surprise, though, he charges at Raven right away. He is one tough fighter to be able to attack right away after that wound!

He injures Raven's arm but not too seriously since he is quick. After watching for a while Raven finally beats the axe-wielder making me feel relieved. The bell rings. Now there is only one champion left. As long as the next fighter on our side wins this one, we are good to go on our boat trip.

"The winner is the challenger, Raven!"

The crowd cheers and I can see Raven smirking. He leaves and sits down. It becomes quiet. The anticipation makes my heart beat quickly as I wait for the announcer to call out the next champion and who the challenger is.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer calls out. "The moment you have all been waiting for! The fifth and final champion, Damian!"

The crowd roars with life and cheering. I watch as a paladin steps out into the ring. He has strange magenta hair and purple armor on. He looks very strong, though. Who is Mark sending out for the final one?

"Our final challenger… Hector!"

My eyes grow wide. Lord Hector steps into the ring wielding a hammer. So that's who Mark chose. Alright, so we just need Lord Hector to win. After this, Fargus gives us a ride on his ship for free. I laugh slightly thinking, _'No pressure.'_

"Begin!"

Lord Hector runs up. The paladin dodges the attack though making me nervous. But when Damian went to attack Lord Hector dodged as well. It's then when Lord Hector is able to land a hit with the hammer. It's not too long, though, before the paladin is also able to land a blow.

The air continues to feel tense around our group as the fight continues on. Lord Hector and Damian both become tired after charging at each other for a while. Damain goes in for a hit but misses. That's when Lord Hector launches at him with his hammer.

It hits right on target with the paladin's chest and he falls off his horse. I gasp watching the paladin fall off the horse and hit the ground. It stays dead silent as he just lies there for a few moments. Then, slowly, the hand rises up. The bell rings.

I smile excitedly. "The winner is the challenger, Hector!"

The crowd roars jumping up in their seats. I was beaming and overjoyed along with Matthew and the others in our group. Lord Hector gives a thumbs up to the five below and then at us above in the audience.

_**(Later)**_

"Aha! You made it, whelps!" Fargus exclaims greeting us at the entrance of the arena.

"That was… hard…" Hector pants.

He must still be tired from the fight with the fifth champion. Serra and Priscilla had healed up the five fighter's wounds but they were still tired.

Lord Eliwood asks, "You'll give us passage now, won't you?"

Fargus smiles proudly. "I'm a man of the sea. I always keep my word." He then glances at Lady Lyn. "Are my old eyes lyin' to me? Is this beauty really with you? Gwaa ha ha ha! My lucky day!"

Lady Lyn glares at him not looking amused. I look at her worriedly.

Lord Hector looks at her. "Listen, I know how you feel, but you have to accept it. We've no other choice!"

Lady Lyn turns to him and snaps, "I know that! I haven't said a word, have I?"

She walks off with Lord Hector behind. People start packing things and climbing aboard the ship. Before I could get on, though, I turn to see a woman with red hair and wearing red run over to the ship. She looks at me and smiles.

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><p><strong>So, what did you guys think? Was it interesting and cool? I'll leave that for you guys to tell me when you review! :D Oh, and the idea about the arena... it's not originally mine. Credit goes to patattack. Alright, let me go thank the reviewers!<strong>

**_Meru-64 (Your review never fail to amuse me. XD Thanks for keeping this fun for me.)_**

**_patattack (Thank you SOOO much for the idea and helping me with it! I think this chapter got more interesting 'cause of it! So, yeah, thanks again! :D)_**

**_Hyralc (I'm glad I did good with Lucius. I like him a lot, too. Hopefully in all my chapters I do good with him and all the other characters and give this game justice.)_**

**_SuperNova23 (Thanks for your support and I'm glad I was able to help you with your own fanfic. I really do like it! ^_^)_**

**_ExposedWiresExposedVeins (Don't worry about your reviews! There the only reason I am able to catch the mistakes and blunders I makes. Especially the Oscar/Oswin thing. I always mix those two names up for some reason! . So... thanks! XD)_**

**Is it just me, or are my author's notes getting longer and longer. o.o I don't mean to but if I want to say something I just kinda do! . I apologize if this annoys anyone! Anyway... see you all next Saturday! I have to babysit all this week but I will definitely make sure to find free time. ^_^ Sayonara! Au revoir! Bye! XD**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi, everyone! I'm sorry this chapter is late but here it is! I am so lucky my dad brought the laptop up with us to Miane! If he hadn't I would have not been able to work on it and get it done for you all! I'm sorry if your first reaction to seeing 'Author's Note' instead of 'Chapter 8' was "Oh, no! Is she quiting the story? Did something bad happen?" I will work extra hard so something like this doesn't happen again. Even if I go vacation somewhere or have to do some intense babysitting. XD So, since I don't feel like typing much longer (it's already 1 a.m. O_o), let's get on with the story!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Fire Emblem or the characters. Blah blah blah. Own Luna. Blah blah blah. XP**

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><p><span>Chapter 8:<span>

It is our second day at sea. I don't know how long it has been since we have gotten up this morning. I like being on the ship… even though it ALWAYS rocks about. I like looking at the ocean. The way is sparkles and shines under the sun. It smells fresh, too. The salt doesn't bother me.

Well, I'm not sure Guy likes this little sea trip. He has been seasick ever since we stepped on this ship. I do feel sorry for him but I can't help him. How do you cure seasickness? That's something I want to find out.

I step below to where I had placed my bag. The problem is that I don't see it right away. I look around the space. People are chatting but I do not see my bag. Don't tell me someone stole it! If it was a pirate I am going to kill them.

I run up to the deck and look around. That's when I spot Matthew in a corner sitting and doing something. I jog up to him hoping he would know where my bag went. As I get closer I open my mouth.

"Matthew!" I call out.

He jumps looking at me. I look at him confused. Then I see what he is sitting in front of. I gasp.

"My bag!"

I run up at him but he quickly gets up and runs away. I chase him around this ship. I pass by Lord Eliwood and Captain Fargus talking, Lady Lyn swinging her sword, and Lord Hector simply looking at the ocean as I chase after Matthew. I wish someone would help me but everyone seems to be busy or something. No one has even seemed to notice. Or they have and they just won't help.

That stupid, mean thief is faster than me so I am already falling behind him. I'm becoming extremely tired, too. I don't want him to have my bag, though! Who knows what he will steal or look at! I push myself to run a bit faster.

Matthew stops and I snatch the bag from him. I get on the ground and dig through my bag to make sure all of my things are in there. That nothing got stolen by the dang thief. As I look through I notice that Matthew sits down catching his breath.

"I… I didn't steal… anything." He manages to say.

I sigh with relief as I confirm his statement. I turn to him careful to stay calm.

"Why did you steal my bag?" I ask.

He sighs deeply. "I wanted to know more about you."

I glare at him. "Why would you want to know about me? Can't you just ask?"

"You have been having nightmares." He says.

My eyes grow wide. How did he know that? There is no way he…

"I'm a spy, remember? I pick up on these things." Matthew explains my unspoken question.

I look at the ground. "I have. But that doesn't mean you have to dig through my stuff."

"Would you have told me if I asked?"

I pause. "Well… I don't know. Maybe?"

Matthew looks at me with doubt. "Yeah, right. That's why I had to look for more info."

I glare at him. "I still don't want you taking my stuff!" I exclaim.

He sighs. "I'm sorry. I will try to not do it again."

I look into his eyes seeing amusement hidden in them. I mentally groan. "Not _try. _You _will_ stop stealing my stuff." I annunciate hoping he will get the message.

Matthew puts his hands up in defense. "Alright, alright. Whatever you say."

"Captain!" someone exclaims. I'm assuming a pirate. "There's a dory adrift to port! It looks like there's someone aboard. What're your orders?"

I stand up holding my bag along with Matthew. A pirate is now talking to Captain Fargus.

"Bring 'em aboard." Captain Fargus says. The pirate runs off to listen to the order. I quickly put my bag away before returning to see the dory and whoever is on it. That's when I see Lord Hector and Lord Eliwood talk with one another.

"Hey, you two!" Lady Lyn calls to them. "Come here! They've pulled the dory aboard!" I go stand by Lady Lyn. As they pull it up we get a better view of the person. I gasp. Lady Lyn says, "It's… It's a girl?"

"…Uh… uhmn… Oy! You there!" a pirate calls.

"Me?" Lady Lyn asks turning towards the person.

The pirate nods. He looks very uncomfortable for some reason. "Give me a hand, will you? I don't know where to… grab her."

I cover my mouth to hide the laughter while Lady Lyn looks at him surprised. "…Okay."

"Such the gentleman." I hear Lord Hector comment.

"Stow it!" the pirate quickly shouts.

Lady Lyn looks at me. "Would you like to help me out as well?"

"Yes." I reply.

We both follow the pirate to the dory. As we get closer I see familiar, pretty long hair and a very nice dress.

"Hm?" Lady Lyn asks looking at the person.

We both gasp at the same time. "Ninian?" I exclaim.

Lady Lyn runs over and kneels next to her. "Ninian! Wake up!"

I kneel next to Lady Lyn. "Unbelievable…" I hear from behind me. I turn to spot Lord Eliwood right there. "What are the chances?"

"Do you know her?" Lord Hector asks now just arriving.

"She's how Lyndis and I met a year back." Lord Eliwood explains. "I rescued Ninian from a band of villains."

"Please, Ninian! Open your eyes!" Lady Lyn exclaims.

I look down at the girl worriedly. I hope she is ok. She looks so weak and pale. She is wet from the ocean water probably splashing on her. I haven't seen her in so long but I am glad to see her again. Too bad it isn't on better circumstances.

Slowly, Ninian's eyes flutter open. "…Ah…"

"Ninian, can you hear me?" I ask.

"…Unnn… I…"

Lady Lyn starts asking, "Are you well? Why were you on that boat? Where is Nils? Why wasn't he with you?"

Ninian starts sitting up and I assist her. She looks around drowsily. "Ah… ah…"

"Ninian?" I ask.

"Something's wrong with her." Lord Eliwood says.

"Who… who…" Ninian tries asking.

"Captain!" I hear the same pirate as a few moments ago exclaim. "Pirate ships approaching from the northwest!"

I look at him talking to the Captain surprised. Other pirates? I hope we don't have to fight. We just found Ninian and all that! Plus, I don't know how well I will be able to on an unstable ship.

"Do they dare attack Captain Fargus and the Davros? They must be mad!" I hear the captain exclaim.

"What flag are they flying? I've never seen that pattern before."

I look but I can't see the flag well. I do see the ships coming. It makes me feel very nervous. I have a feeling this is going to turn out into a fight. I close my eyes. My head hurts and I'm tired. I need to stop having nightmares.

Captain Fargus shouts, "These seas belong to us!" I open my eyes looking at him. "Whoever they are, they're in our waters! This is a day for strange occurrences, it seems. You whelps watch your own hides. We've no time to waste on you!"

A shiver runs up my spine. He can really be a tough person when he needs too. First, I thought he was just a bored pirate captain, but he does take his position seriously. He has to worry about his crewmates and the actual ship itself.

I stand up while Lady Lyn helps with Ninian. She still seems dazed and out of it. I hope she gets better soon. With all this rocking, though, I don't know how long it will take.

The ship trembles and shakes for an instant making me surprised. I hear a few people scream and exclaim loudly. I was about to fall over when Lord Hector catches me. I look at him and smile gratefully as the ship stops moving so much. I stand up straight brushing myself up.

"Thank you." I say.

He was about to open his mouth when a loud yell fills the air.

"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaa!" A pirate yells from below. "Water! The hull's been breached! We're taking on water!"

Captain looks at the direction of the noise surprised. "Breached?" He then glares looking clearly angry. "Those scum are more dangerous than I'd thought!"

I look at him surprised. Shouldn't he be more worried about the ship? There is water coming in! Well, we should be worried about the dangers of these unknown pirates, but still! Water is filling the ship and we might sink! I don't know how much we have until we reach the island! Will we even make it there?

The pirate that asked for help with Ninian turns to the captain. "It's bad, Captain! We need all hands below decks, or we'll sink!"

Captain Fargus glares at him. "Take care of it! I'm going to carve these scallywags some new gizzards!"

The pirate goes down. He then quickly returns up. "We need your help! The water's up to the galley! You must come below, Captain!"

"Grrr…" he says in frustration. I'm getting more scared by the second.

"Fargus! Leave the enemy to us!" Lord Eliwood says loudly. I look at him. He is brave. But, honestly, we really could.

Lord Hector then steps up. "Fighting is something we're good at! But a sinking ship? That's your affair! You have to do something, or we'll all drown!"

It was then Lady Lyn's turn to speak up. "We'll deal with things up here. Please! Hurry!"

Captain Fargus only wastes a second of thinking before replying with, "Fine! The deck is yours! I'll be back as soon as we've plugged the breach in the hull!"

"Go!" Lord Eliwood orders.

The pirates go below deck. That's when I notice the pirate ships on either side of us setting up planks from their ships to ours.

Lord Eliwood turns to Lady Lyn. "Lyn! Take her to that room!" he says pointing to Ninian.

Lady Lyn nods. "I will."

"Here they come!" Lord Hector yells.

Mark quickly thinks up of a strategy. I am to go to the ship on the right **(A/N: To you guys, that would be the left) **along with Florina, Lucius, Serra, and Matthew. On the other ship will be other people like Guy, Raven, Priscilla, ect. I believe someone is protecting Merlinus but I am not sure who. I hope Guy will be alright with his seasickness and all. It's good he is with the larger group. If he gets in trouble there will be others to back him up.

"Ahoooy!" A pirate with brown hair calls. Something is familiar about him… "Can you hold the deck until reinforcements arrive?"

"Excuse me." I say walking up to him. "Who are you?"

"Who? Me?" he asks. I nod. "I'm Jake."

My eyes gleam. "Are you new?" I ask excitedly.

He looks at me like I am strange. "Hm? Aye, I'm new to the Davros's crew.

"I have heard about you! Anna told me about you!"

Jake's eyes grow wide. "Huh? You heard about me from Anna?"

I nod. "She is really worried about you."

"Oh… She is?" He smiles. "That warms my heart, my friend!"

I think back to when before I boarded the ship that lady with red hair from the inn ran up to me. She wanted to talk to me about a few things. She talked about Jake the most. She wanted me to say 'hi' to him if I was able to. I'm glad I could!

"Let me give you some information." Jake says. "We've got merchants aboard. Buy what you need from them." I look at him confused. He continues to explain. "You won't be able to stock up once we reach the Dread Isle. Buy as much as you can carry while you've got the chance!"

"Oh, okay!" I say smiling at him. "Thank you."

Jake nods before returning below deck. I sigh.

"Luna!" someone calls.

I turn towards the voice. "Yeah, Serra?"

"Let's get moving!" she yells placing her hands on her side.

I quickly run up to the group at the planks. We all run across with Serra in the back. Since she can't fight we have to protect her. I immediately aim an arrow at a shaman and shoot. I miss due to the rocking and hit his arm.

He still has the energy to lift his tomb and chant words from it. A strange symbol surrounds me. Not this again! This time I won't just stand around, though. I jump back just in time as the spell is completed. I'm glad I missed it. Last time it hurt really badly.

Lucius steps up and chants words from his light tomb. Very quickly a flash of light appears and hits the shaman straight on. He falls over instantly. I gasp. All it took was one quick hit and he was down! Well, light does beat dark. I guess that would make sense.

I watch as Florina flies down stabbing another shaman through the stomach with her spear. He falls on his knees but he isn't dead yet. I shoot my arrow at his head to finish the job. It's better to do that than just watch him fall in pain. I wince at myself. It's scary when you are used to blood and death in fighting.

Matthew swiftly runs by a few shamans. As they turn to attack Lucius shoots one from behind while I shoot another one through the upper back all the way to the chest. They both fall over simultaneously. I look at Lucius and we both smile at each other. We both got the situation covered.

I look up at Florina on her pegasus. "Hey, Florina!" I call up.

She lands next to me. "Yes?"

"Wanna give me a lift?" I ask.

She nods. I climb onto the back and she flies into the air. I look down to see Matthew alone getting closer to a lone shaman. Lucius is near Serra probably protecting her from other enemies.

"We better back Matthew up." I say. "I don't think he can handle one by himself."

"I'll fly down, then." Florina says.

We swoop down. I watch as Matthew snatches something from him. The shaman gets mad and tries attacking him. Matthew, with his great speed, misses. I aim my arrow at the shaman. I release the arrow hoping it will land. I sigh with relief as it hits the guy's shoulder.

This gives Matthew an opportunity to stab him with his knife. Florina swoops in and finishes the shaman off. Florina lands and I get off her pegasus. Matthew looks at me and smiles.

"Thanks for the help, Luna."

I glare at him. "You're lucky that I am nice and didn't let the fact that you STOLE MY BAG get in the way of me helping you." I say.

Matthew sighs. "Are you ever going to let that go?"

I pause. "Maybe. Don't count on it, though."

Despite my anger he laughs. "I should have known this was coming."

I smile slightly. "Yeah, I guess you should have."

Lucius and Serra catch up to us. "Does anyone need healing?" Serra asks.

I look at everyone else before shaking my head. "I think we are good." I say. "Let's return to our boat."

Serra nods.

"We better watch out. There are probably more enemies." Lucius says.

"You're probably right." Matthew says. "We better move."

With that we all run off the ship. Luckily, we only had a run in with two. I think more will be coming out soon, though. As we reach the plank Florina and Lucius stand guard with Serra nearby. Matthew runs up to Merlinus' tent. I run down to the rear of the ship.

I was going to see how the others are doing on the other ship a third ship appears at the rear. Very quickly planks are set up and two swords man step up. I pull out an arrow and aim. I shoot but miss one of the swordsmen. They are making their way closer. Too close to me.

I lean against the post just for one of them to have a sword pointing at me. I dig and arrow out of my quiver. Quickly, I run past the sword and stab the man in the chest. It doesn't go deep enough to kill him. He staggers back in pain, though.

He gets angry and slashes at me. It leaves a clean line on my arm making me wince. He is now very close to me. The swordsman raises his sword. I scream hoping someone will help me out. In a flash Raven is in front of me blocking the blow. He then finishes him off.

He turns to me. "You need to be more careful."

"I will. Thank you for saving me." I say smiling.

He nods. He then runs on the plank to deal with some other enemies. Serra is there right away and heals my arm quickly. I smile at the warm glow. The scratch heals like it was never there and the pain goes away.

"Thank you." I say to Serra.

She smiles. "That's what I'm here for." She says.

Oswin appears in front of us walking on the planks. This is the first time I notice him wearing a general's armor. He must have been promoted by Mark. Probably during the ship trip since I haven't seen him in that armor until now. That is so cool! I hope I get promoted. But, then again, I don't want to just because the tactician is my brother. That would be unfair to the other archers that could be promoted.

Lord Eliwood runs up to me. "Are you alright?" he asks concerned.

I turn to him smiling. "I'm fine, my lord. My injury is healed so I am okay."

He smiles in relief. "That is good to hear."

He returns to the fight along with everyone else. I see an enemy pegasus knight fly close enough for me to hit it. I aim my arrow carefully. One hit should do it. I release the arrow. It makes a direct hit. I watch as the pegasus knight falls in to the water along with the pegasus.

Another one appears but this time Florina takes care of the flying enemy unit. Things start calming down just a tad bit. Everyone is split up into three different groups; one for each ship.

Hardly anyone else on our side gets injured so it's all fine there. Florina and I help each other taking down the flying units. I think Rebecca and Wil are helping out along with backing up the front line attackers.

After what seems like a short amount of time of fighting (even though it might have been long) Captain Fargus returns to the deck holding a large, scary looking axe. A few other pirates join him as well.

"Ahoy! I'm back!" Captain Fargus calls out. "Now who wants to die first?"

That's when Captain Fargus and his pirate crew go ahead and climb onto all three of the ships clearing out the rest of the enemy. I'm sure they steal some things as well. It doesn't surprise me considering they are pirates.

Soon, it was all over. Everyone has regrouped on the main ship and the three enemy ones are gone and taken cared of. I sigh with relief sitting down on the deck. That was a bit difficult but I am glad we were able to pull through.

"Ahhh ha ha ha! We've routed 'em!" Captain Fargus exclaims.

"Thanks to your quick work, we've managed to survive." Lord Eliwood says.

"Ah! Ninian!" I hear Lady Lyn exclaim. I turn to her to see that Ninian has stepped out from hiding and is walking towards us very slowly. Almost ghost like. "You can't come out yet! There's blood everywhere!"

"…Blood?" she asks.

"Look out!" Lord Eliwood quickly exclaims.

Ninian slips exclaiming, "Ah!" Lord Eliwood is there just in time to catch her. "I'm sorry." She says as the lord helps her stand straight.

"Are you okay? Ninian?" Lord Eliwood asks.

Ninian pauses. "Ninian? Is that… me? Is that… my name?"

My eyes grew wide. She has forgotten who she is? How did this happen? Does that mean she doesn't remember any of us? What about Nils? Oh, no! This day isn't turning out so well…

"Ninian!" Lady Lyn says surprised. "What's happened to you…?"

Ninian thinks while rubbing her head. "…I... My head… is so foggy. Am I… at sea?"

"Yes. We found you adrift in a small boat."

Captain Fargus and speaks to Lord Eliwood. "Those scum were after the girl, it seems." He pauses. "Will you take her with you? The men are afraid she, well, she might be cursed, you know?"

My eyes grow wide. "Cursed?" I ask.

I look over Ninian. She isn't cursed. At least, I don't think she is. She is just an innocent girl who just lost her memory. She has been through a lot. She has gotten attacked and is being chased after for some unknown reason and the pirates are worried for their own behinds?

"Are you suggesting we leave Ninian behind?" Lady Lyn asks.

"We can't take her with us, can we?" Lord Hector asks. "We're heading for the Dread Isle. It's dread for a reason, you know!"

I roll my eyes. Well, duh, Sherlock. Of course it has that name for a reason. I felt like smacking him in the head. Two things wrong with that, though. One, he helped me out earlier when the ship got hit. Two, he is a lord. I could get in trouble for that. I still glare at him, though.

"Regardless… she goes with us!" Lady Lyn exclaims.

We all turn to her with shock on our faces. Ninian still seems spaced out. The poor thing…

"Lyndis?" Lord Eliwood asks carefully.

Lady Lyn takes a deep breath. "When I saw her, I remembered something. The last time I saw Ninian… She and her brother were being hunted by some dark-robed men."

I think back to the time a year ago when I helped Lady Lyn and her group. Nils ran out of an inn asking for help. That is how we met him along with Lucius. Then some dark-robed men attacked us. My eyes grow wide. Lady Lyn is right! It seems like the same exact type of people as before!

Lord Hector looks at her very seriously. "Dark-robed? Are you sure?"

"Yes, I think it must be the Black Fang. It didn't occur to me before, but now I'm certain."

"How can you be sure?" Lord Eliwood asks.

"I can't explain…" Lady Lyn says thinking. "There's something in the air that hints at their involvement." I nod in agreement.

"If it's true, then she's likely to be attacked again."

Lady Lyn nods. "Almost certainly. We can't leave her behind. I will watch over her. Please…"

Lord Eliwood smiles slightly. "I understand. We should be by her side to protect her."

Lady Lyn smiles looking pleased. "Thank you."

Lord Eliwood looks at Ninian with nothing but kindness. "We're all going to that island. Will you come with us?" he asks gently while placing a hand on her shoulder.

Ninian looks up at the lord. "Yes… Please… take me with you."

"That settles it." Mark says. "We are bringing Ninian with us to the Dread Isle. Once we get there, there is no turning back."

I look at Mark. "Should we buy some supplies, then?"

He turns to me. "Yes, we should."

Mark walks over to Merlinus' tent and talks to him. Then they both enter the shops on the ship. I think I saw a few other people enter the shops picking up things that we need. Hopefully they won't spend too much money.

**_(Evening)_**

The ship lands on the island and I feel my heart beating like crazy. What will this place be like? What dangers await us? Are we all going to be alright? No one has died yet and I don't want that to change. Mark is a very good tactician so I trust him with my life and with the lives of the others in the group.

Everyone in the group exits the ship along with Captain Fargus. All our stuff is unloaded and I sigh with relief as I feel the solid ground. I see Guy is very happy, too. He is lying down on the grass smiling. I walk over and sit next to him.

"No longer being seasick, huh?" I ask teasingly.

He looks at me glaring at me. I see him blushing with embarrassment, though. It makes me giggle.

"Oh, be quiet." He says quickly. "That ship was ALWAYS moving side to side. How could you stand that?"

I shrug. "It wasn't an ideal situation, but it wasn't so bad. At least we made it in one piece."

"Barely." Guy says.

I punch his arm. "It's better than being sunk in the ocean."

Guy shivers making me giggle. That's when I see the pirate that helped with Ninian earlier walk up to us.

"Ahoy." he greets. "My name is Dart."

Who names their kid Dart? Or is that a nickname? I smile politely. "Hello." I say.

"I have joined your group." He says.

My eyes widen slightly but I continue smiling. "Really? That's good. We can use all the help we can." I pat the spot next to me. "Would you like to sit down?"

He shakes his head. "I'm going to introduce myself to everyone else."

"Alright." I say. "Nice to meet you."

"You, too." He says.

Dart walks away to see the rest of the group. It's a large one so I wonder if he really is going to see everyone. That's a lot of people to say 'hi' to. I don't think I have the courage to do that.

Beside me Guy is laughing. I look at him. "What is it?" I ask.

"He is a strange pirate!" He laughs. "I've never met anyone like him!"

I laugh. "That's what makes him interesting. I'm sure it will be fun to have him around."

Guy calms down but he still has a wide grin on his face. "Who knows? Anything can happen."

I nod with agreement. "With the Black Fang around, anything really can happen."

Without me realizing it, those words were about to come true in the next few moments.

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><p><strong>So, how was the chapter? Was it worth the wait? If it wasn't I am deeply sorry. ;_; Anyway... let me thank the following reviewers! :D<strong>

_**SuperNova23 (Thanks! Sorry Luna couldn't fight. :( She got to fight here, though. :D)**_

_**patattack (Thanks for the review! I'm glad things worked out last chapter and hopefully this one was 'wicked', too. XD)**_

_**Meru-64 (Thanks for BOTH of your reviews! I'm glad to know you are patient with me AND always keep me entertained! XD What would I do without you?)**_

_**ExposedWiredExposedVeins (Thanks for the review! I like your long reviews because they help me make sure my chapter isn't full of crap. XD So, yeah, thanks! ^_^)**_

_**Hyralc (Thanks for BOTH of your reviews! Sorry if the last chapter was a bit confusing for you but hopefully this one turned out well. And I am glad you were able to wait until now. Much appreciated. :D)**_

**Alright, well, that's about it. I will be arriving home on Thursday. Sadly, I was stupid enough to leave the notes I needed back at home on my computer to work on chapter 9 of this fic. But, the good news is, this will leave me time to work on Radiant Dawn High School! :D I will get as much done as possible. Maybe I will be able to post it up (not very likely)! :O... XD Anyway, see you all this coming up Saturday! ^_^**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi, everyone! I'm sorry this is a day late! . I came back from my trip on Thursday, was busy Friday, and I worked on a lot of it yesterday but didn't get it done. Honestly, for this chapter, I felt dread typing it. I get a bit emotional so the fact that this chapter is very sad almost made me cry. ;_;... Anyway! Just go a head and read!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own characters, games, ect. I just own Luna.  
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><p><span>Chapter 9:<span>

As we were getting ready to move out I notice that it is starting to get foggy. I look for Matthew to see him talking to Guy. I sigh. If I get scared or if I think I see something strange I'll run to him. He can see better through this than I can, after all.

I look around until I spot my brother. I walk up to Mark and stand near him. He looks down and smiles at me patting my head.

"How are you?" he asks.

I smile. "Good." I then look around nervously. "Although… the fog is creeping me out a bit."

He chuckles linking arms with me. "I'll keep you safe."

I giggle. "Thanks."

"Let's get through these woods." Lady Lyn says. "It's starting to get foggy… Try not to get separated."

Mark and I walk up to the three lords. Ninian is standing by Lord Eliwood as he guides her carefully. They are now at a sign with scary writing on it. My brother and I also look at it.

"Enter and be lost." Lord Hector reads aloud. "It feels like we're not coming back."

Lady Lyn glares at him. "Hector! Are you trying to curse us?"

"It's ok, Lyn." Mark says. "Let's just keep moving."

We walk past the woods with the group following behind.

"Are you well, Ninian?" I hear Lord Eliwood ask.

"…Y-Yes… I'm… I'll be fine." Poor Ninian. She sounds so weak.

Only a moment has past when suddenly Lord Eliwood freezes.

"Someone's there!" he exclaims.

"Who? A sentry?" Lord Hector asks. We all rush up, Mark letting go of me. Lord Hector's eyes grow wide. "Leila! Is that you? Impressive work, finding your way here!"

I smile at the red-haired girl. Matthew will be happy to see her! Another glance at her makes me freeze. But… wait. Why are her eyes closed?

"Something's wrong." Lord Eliwood says beating me to it. "Leila?" He asks. He places a hand on her arm. "Lei-!"

Leila falls over making Lord Eliwood step back in surprise. I gasp coving my mouth. Tears sting my eyes. No… It can't be… Please, don't let my fears be right! Lady Lyn kneels down by Leila feeling for a pulse. A long moment passes before she stands up.

"She's… dead…"

Those words stab me. I spin around searching through the group.

"No!" Ninian exclaims.

I run up to Matthew blocking his path. He looks down at me and I shake my head. Tears fall down my cheeks without any mercy.

I hear Lord Hector say, "…This can't be. She was one of our best spies. Leila…"

Matthew places a hand on my shoulder, squeezes it, and walks past me. I whip around. Matthew…

"…I'm sorry, Matthew." Lord Hector says.

I walk up to Matthew to see he is weakly smiling at the lord.

"…Why do you apologize, my lord?" he asks. "Leila blundered. …That's all."

I close my eyes tightly. I clutch my hands together on my chest.

"Matthew…" Lord Eliwood says. "Leila was… She was…"

"After this mission, I was going to ask her to put this life behind her…" Matthew says his voice really close to me. I open my eyes to see him place his hand on my head. He looks back at the others. "Waited too long, didn't I? Ha…" He gently rubs my head while looking at Leila. "My lord, might I… rejoin you later? She has to be buried…"

Lord Hector sighs. "Of course."

Matthew's hand disappears from the top of my head. He walks over to Leila and picks her up bridal style.

"Ah… I'll go with you…" Lady Lyn says.

Tears continue flowing down my face.

"Let them be alone." Lord Eliwood says. "There's nothing else we can do…"

"Blast!" Lord Hector yells punching a tree. "They put her out here for us to find like this!"

"Unforgivable!" Lady Lyn adds in. "This is… a foul deed. Beyond foul."

"Let's go!" Lord Eliwood exclaims. "The foe is somewhere in this forest. We must stop this before any more die!"

"Ah!" Ninian says suddenly. I turn to her. "…Beware! Something comes!"

"What?" Lady Lyn exclaims. In a blink of an eye, a horseman comes and grabs her. "Kyaa!"

"Lyndis!" Lord Eliwood calls.

"Lady Lyn!" I exclaim.

"If you value her life, send the girl to me." The horseman says.

He must be referring to Ninian. I wipe my eyes to get a better look of the horseman. He actually looks like a nomad. He had a bandana on his head and traditional clothing. Sacaen?

"…Ah." Ninian says.

"You, you're Sacaen!" Lady Lyn exclaims.

The horseman speaks. "That's correct… I am Uhai of the Black Fang. I've been sent to capture the girl… And to kill the lot of you." Shivers run up my spine. "If, however… you hand over the girl and depart the island at once, I'll grant you your lives."

"And if we refuse?" Lady Lyn asks.

"You know nothing, little lord. Nothing of Nergal's might. Nothing of his terrible power. You are ignorant, and so you hope to oppose him. You are insects railing against the heavens. Your actions will change nothing. Speak no more foolishness and begone!"

My eyes widen. He is one very scary nomad. My mind seems so frazzled though that I think half of the words didn't click in my head. Something about Nergal being bad. All I know for certain is that Uhai is very serious and tough.

Lord Eliwood bravely steps forward. "…Maybe we don't know what it is we're fighting… But if we flee, our loss is assured. So we will continue to struggle, and we may yet prevail!"

I look at him with amazement. He seems so… strong. Just his attitude and the way he speaks makes him sound like a great lord.

"…Folly." Uhai says.

He suddenly drops her. "What!" Lady Lyn exclaims. Uhai makes distance between him and the rest of us. "Why are you letting me go?"

"Holding a woman hostage during battle is shameful. You, too, are of Sacae, and I've a mind to show you mercy." My eyes widen. Sacaens are very proud people. But, that is very honorable of him. Even though he probably still wants to kill us. "I will let you die with a sword in your hands. But rest assured… I will kill you all here. But be of good cheer! In dying, you shall all be spared the calamity that is to come!" Yep, I was right.

Lord Eliwood turns to Ninian. "Ninian, you must hide. We will meet the enemy!"

Mark makes plans with the three lords. My mind feels hazy. Is Matthew alright? Leila dying… it must be horrible on him. Even though he can keep up a good face, I know he is hiding the pain. Why am I crying so much, though? Just thinking of the pain Matthew must be going through… I can't help it.

Rustling in the trees make me jump. I turn around grabbing an arrow. A shadow steps out and walks over calmly. Soon, the shadow is close enough so I can see the person. I gasp.

"Matthew!" I exclaim.

He smiles. "Hi, Luna." He rubs the top of my head. "Looks like I'm just in time."

I look at him confused as he walks over to Lord Hector. They talk for a bit before I see the lord nodding. He walks over back to me. His smile is so warming even though everything else feels so sad.

"Matthew…" I say.

"I'll be your eyes." He says. "Okay?"

My eyes widen. "Are you sure?"

His smile broadens. "Of course! It's foggy out there and I have good eyes! I have to help you!"

I smile. "Okay."

Mark orders Guy, Raven, Lucius, Dart, Erk, and Serra to cross the bridge closest to the water and cross it. Then the rest of us are to head down across two bridges. For the start of the fight, however, Sain, Kent, and Oswin are stuck at the bridge fighting off nomads and other enemies.

Will and Rebecca shot past Sain and Kent at the bad guys to be back up. I help out as much as I can with Matthew's assistance. We were fighting for a while when a pegasus knight I didn't know flew down and started attacking the enemy.

"Fiora?" I hear Florina exclaims.

She flies over and starts talking to the pegasus. Well, now that I think about it, they do look alike. I mean, other than the fact that Fiora's hair is straight and blue-greenish, they do look related. Are they siblings?

Fiora and Florina fight together against the enemy. Maybe she will join our group. I spot Lord Eliwood go talk to her so it seems like it.

Everything seems like a blur as I continue fighting along with everyone else. The three lords have run up ahead (like usual) probably trying to find Uhai. I turn to Matthew.

"You should help the three lords." I say to him. "They're looking for Uhai." He looks at me confused. I sigh. "He's a nomad of Black Fang."

Matthew nods. "Alright."

He quickly runs ahead. I worry about his safety but he is a sneaky one so I'm sure he will do just fine. I look around to see that no one else is around me. I panic.

"Hey!" I call out. "Where are you guys?"

I hear hooves gallop in my direction. I ready my bow just in case it's an enemy. The knight comes closer for me to see red armor. I sigh with relief. It's Kent.

"Come on." He says. "Everyone else is ahead."

I nod. "Alright."

He grabs me and pulls me up so I am sitting behind him on the horse. He turns around and starts galloping ahead. I see an enemy soldier and aim my arrow. I shoot at him. It goes through his upper arm. Kent spots him and rides up. With his lance he stabs the soldier right through the stomach. The man falls off his horse.

Kent continues riding ahead. That's when Sain rides next to us.

"No fair!" Sain whines. "You get to carry a pretty lady on your horse!"

"Sain…" Kent grumbles. "This is no place for your stupid womanizing antics."

Sain pouts at him. "But I want Luna on _my _horse. She usually is, anyway." He winks at me. I glare at him. I then aim my arrow at his head. He puts his hands up in defense. "Hey, hey! There's no need to get angry!"

I put the arrow down. I hear Kent chuckle. I smile slightly. Sain relaxes and continues riding next to us. The three of us soon arrived where everyone else was. The woods are very thick around this area. I can hear fighting in there.

Kent stops and I jump off the horse. I run through the woods. Suddenly, the fighting noises ends. Now I hear some talking. Is that Uhai's voice? I don't know. I walk deeper into the woods until I see a bleeding Uhai and the three lords surrounding him.

"…a final gift from me… From here, go south." Uhai says. "…Turn at the rotted tree. Head… west. There lies the path to the… …Dragon's Gate… Unnh…" He falls over dead.

"Uhai…" Lord Eliwood says. "I wish we could've met under different circumstances."

"…Do we trust him?" Lord Hector asks.

"He was a Sacaen." Lady Lyn says. "He would not lie. I, at least, choose to believe him."

That makes sense for her to say that. She is a Sacaen after all. They seem like a very proud group of people. They seem really nice, too. I'm with Lady Lyn on this one.

Lord Eliwood pauses. "Let's go then." He finally says.

"To the Dragon's Gate!" Lord Hector calls.

They walk out of the thick of the woods with me following behind. Lady Lyn turns to me with concern.

"Are you alright?" she asks.

I look at her. I smile slightly. "I'm fine."

"You you were crying pretty badly earlier." She says. I flinch. "Did you know Leila?"

I shake my head. "But, when I thought how sad Matthew would be… I couldn't stop." I look at the ground. "No one deserves to lose someone precious to them."

She places her hand on my shoulder making me look up. She smiles. "You are a very sweet girl. You are always thinking of everyone else's feelings and well being."

I blush slightly. "I-I guess."

Lady Lyn removes her hand. "Come, let's follow the others."

I nod. I stand by her as we walk through the woods. It was getting dark so soon we stopped to set up camp. I was to bunk with Florina and Fiora.

After the camp was set up and my things were in order I step out of the tent. I should let the two sisters catch up and all that good stuff. I look around to see if anyone else was out. I see Guy walking around as if looking for something. I walk up to him.

"Hey, Guy." I say.

He turns to me. "Hey. Have you seen Matthew?"

I shake my head. "Isn't he bunking with you?"

Guy nods. "I haven't seen him, though."

My eyes widen. "You don't think he left camp, do you?"

"We better look." He says.

I nod. We walk to the edge of camp and into the woods. As we look around I get more and more worried. We call out his name a few times. That's when I heard the noise of scratching of wood. I shush Guy up. We follow the noise until we spot Matthew cutting up a tree with his dagger.

"Matthew!" Guy calls jogging over.

Matthew flinches before looking at us. I follow Guy behind him. He smiles at us.

"What are you two up to?" Matthew asks casually.

"Seriously?" I exclaim. He looks at me confused.

"We were looking for you!" Guy yells.

Matthew's eyes grow wide. "I'm sorry. I was just… feeling frustrated. So I came out here."

Tears sting my eyes. "Are you ok?"

Both of their eyes went wide looking at me. Matthew rubs the top of my head smiling. "Of course I am."

I tear falls. "B-But, what about L-Leila?" I ask. His eyes widen. "Y-You loved her, r-right? Aren't you h-hurt?"

"Luna…" Guy says.

Matthew's hand is off my head. "It's alright. I shall mourn her later. Right now, though, I have to focus on the battles ahead."

"We are all your friends here." I say. "It's okay to lean on each other once in a while. Especially when we need it." I smile. "That's what Lady Lyn told me once, anyway."

"Luna has a point." Guy says.

That's when I saw the first tear drop from Matthew's face. He hugs me tightly hiding his face in my shoulder. Guy rubs his back.

"I-I loved her so much!" Matthew exclaims. His body is trembling. "I miss her!"

Tears fall down my cheeks. "I know you do, Matthew. It's alright to cry. Let it out."

So, all three of us stayed there as he cried. I think I even saw a tear drop from Guy's eye. Of course, in a blink of an eye, it was gone. He is usually the tough guy so it's normal for him to not want to show his emotions.

My shoulder was getting wet but I didn't care. All I could think was that no one else should die. It's unfair for those who get left behind. Black Fang needs to be stopped.

* * *

><p><strong>So... how was it? I'm sorry if it was too dramatic for you all. I just... yeah. . I have no other words to say about this really. Just go ahead and review telling me your thoughts. Speaking of reviews... let me thank the following people!<strong>

**_patattack (Thanks for review. ^_^ Glad you liked it. I hope this was good, too.)_**

**_Meru-64 (XD I love talking about pairings with you! You are so bubbly and stuff and it always makes my day to read your reviews! :D)_**

**_Hyralc (Thanks for the review and I'm glad you thought the chapter was good. It's a good thing you reviewed today or else I would have one less person to thank. o.o XD Anyway, hopefully this one was good, too. :) )_**

**So, that's it. See you all next Saturday! I will seriously try extra hard to get the chapter done in time! . And RDHS will be up ASAP! ;_; Promise! :) So... au revoir! ^_^_  
><em>**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello, people. So, here it is, chapter 10. I have a feeling that this chapter is kind of short but I am pretty content with it. I hope you guys like the chapter. ^_^ This is going to be very quick so let me go ahead and get through the disclaimer crap.**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Fire Emblem, characters, concept, ect. I own my OC, Luna (and a bit Mark).**

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><p><span>Chapter 10:<span>

I wake up early in the morning from my nightmare. I don't know how many times I have had that nightmare in a row now. I'm wondering if it's because of this place. I don't know but I don't like my nightmare. I always wake up at the part where a wyvern is right in my face and he opens his mouth as if to eat me. It was in my burning village and I was a little girl. For some reason I couldn't find my brother in my nightmares.

Sitting up I rub my forehead trying to calm myself. I stand up and look around the tent. Fiora and Florina are still fast asleep. Quietly I step out of the tent. It's foggy and the ground is damp. Everything has an eerie feeling to it. I hope someone else is up. I don't like being by myself.

As I keep walking through the camp I hear voices. Feeling relieved, I walk towards the voices. Soon I come across a set of wood on fire with Lady Lyn, Mark, and Lord Eliwood sitting around it. I sit next to my brother. He looks at me surprised.

"Good morning." Lady Lyn greets.

"Morning." I return.

"You are never up this early." Mark asks. "You alright?"

I look at him nodding. "I'm fine."

He places his hand on my forehead. "You're so pale."

I move his hand away. "I'm not sick or anything."

Lord Eliwood asks, "Is something bothering you?"

I pause. "I had this dream. It's not important, though."

Mark was going to open his mouth when Lord Hector shows up grumbling and sitting down by Lord Eliwood. He rubs his eyes annoyingly.

"Looks like we have another surprise early riser." Lady Lyn says laughing.

Lord Hector glares at her making us laugh.

Mark whispers in my ear, "We'll talk later."

All I can do is nod. I'm not looking forward to the talk. I hope he forgets about it. Knowing him, though, he won't.

_**(Later)**_

It's now afternoon and the group has been moving at a good pace. Matthew looks better than he did yesterday. With all that crying we went to bed early. Even Guy looked exhausted. I can't wait to leave the island. Once we leave I think everything will start to look brighter for everyone.

Finally, the three lords find what they were looking for.

"A great, rotted tree…" Lord Eliwood says. "This would appear to be the place of which Uhai spoke."

"So if we move west from here, we'll reach the Dragon's Gate, right?" Lady Lyn asks.

"OK, let's go!" Lord Hector exclaims.

Those two walk ahead while Lord Eliwood stays behind. He must be troubled so I decide to leave him be. Plus, I see Marcus riding up to him right now. I'm sure he will be able to help the lord out.

That's when Mark pulls on my arm making me stop. "Are we going to talk or not?" he asks.

I remove my arm from his grasp. "What is there to talk about?"

He glares at me. "I'm worried about you."

"There is nothing for you to worry about." I retort.

"You said you had a dream." I flinch. "What was it?"

"Is it that important?" I ask.

"I want to know what's bothering you. Let me help."

I shut my eyes tightly. "It's… from when we were little."

I look at him nervously. His eyes are wide. "You don't mean…"

I nod. "Those wyvern riders…" I start shaking. "They terrify me." I clench my hands into fists.

My brother opens his mouth.

"Eh?" I hear Marcus asks a bit loudly. "Something is happening ahead."

I look to where Marcus attention was at to see Lord Hector and Lady Lyn up ahead. It looks like they are arguing.

"It's Hector. Let's go!" Lord Eliwood exclaims.

Marcus, Lord Eliwood, Mark and I rush up to see what the problem is. They are basically yelling at each other. This can't be good at all.

"Stop yelling at me!" Lady Lyn yells. "It's because of that clattering armor you're wearing! I'm just saying we have to move cautiously. Nothing more!"

"I know!" Lord Hector yells back. "And I'm saying that I'm doing my best!"

"Quiet, both of you!" Lord Eliwood yells at the both of them. "Armor or no, if you two keep shouting like that, every enemy from here to Pherae itself will hear us!"

Everyone's eyes grow wide as it becomes dead silent. I place my hand on my chest. His yelling kind of scared me. But, then again, Lord Hector and Lady Lyn were worrying me. I'm telling you, it's the island. It makes everyone feel so tense; including me.

"Ah…" Lady Lyn says.

"Sorry." Lord Hector apologizes.

Lord Eliwood takes a deep breath. "We must proceed with caution. I can't believe Uhai was the only Black Fang in these woods."

Everyone calms down a bit. I look to see Ninian is walking over towards us. She stands by close to Lord Eliwood. He glances down at her with concern in his eyes.

"Ninian? Are you all right?" he asks.

She stays silent when suddenly her eyes grow wide. "Beware! …The enemy comes!"

"Enemy?"

A shaman suddenly appears out of nowhere making me jump back. My back hits armor making me jumpy. I turn around to see that it is only Lord Hector.

"Sorry." I apologize.

He shakes his head.

"Eliwood of Pherae!" the shaman exclaims. I look at him. "Prepare yourself!"

And just as quickly as he appeared the shaman vanishes. I feel someone grab my arm so I look to see its Lady Lyn.

"Are you alright?" she asks.

I nod.

Lord Eliwood turns toward us. "We won't reach the Dragon's Gate if we stay on the defensive."

Mark nods. "We need to attack the ruins."

Mark does his usual planning. I re-string my bow when Guy runs up to me. I notice something… different about him. That's when I see it. On his outfit was a Hero Crest. I stare at him amazed as I see a wide grin on his face.

"Luna! I got promoted!" he exclaims.

I smile shaking my head. "That is… amazing!" I exclaim. He nods now standing in front of me. "What's it feel like?"

He places a hand on the Hero Crest. "It feels like… I'm stronger. Like I really deserve to wear this."

"I'm sure you do if Mark promoted you." I comment. "He doesn't take this stuff lightly."

Guy's smile widens. "I'm going to make sure I prove him right."

I laugh slightly. "I hope you do."

He runs off in another direction. He is probably going to tell the others. I wonder if Matthew has heard yet. If he hasn't yet, he will soon. He has a way of learning new information. I sigh remembering the fact that he stole my bag.

"Luna." Mark calls. I turn towards him. "I need you to move forward with the others."

I nod. I run forward. I notice that by Merlinus' tent are Kent and Fiora. Florina is at the mountain close by the tent.

I continue moving forward to see the others are already fighting. I mage spots me and moves to attack me. I barely miss his fire attack. Even though it nearly misses me I can still feel the heat of it near my skin. I quickly pull out my arrow and shoot. Through the chest it goes bringing him to the ground. That was scary.

Without warning I feel a lightning bolt strike me.

"Ah!" I call out.

I fall on my knees in pain. My skin feels burnt and I can see a bit of smoke around me. Where did it come from? It's a clear blue sky out! Was that a magic spell? I don't see any enemies nearby.

"Luna!" someone calls running over.

I look up to see its Guy. He takes off my bow and quiver then picks me up.

"Ah!" I say in pain.

He looks down at me. "S-Sorry." He stutters. He starts walking. "You are heavier than you look."

I stick my tongue out at him. That's when Lucius runs over along with Raven.

"What happened?" Lucius asked.

"I don't know." Guy says. "I just saw her in pain."

"Lightning." I mutter.

Lucius' eyes grow wide. "Oh no… The enemy must have a far ranged spell."

Raven takes me from Guy and holds me bridal style. My skin still feels tingly and in pain so I clench my teeth together. Guy picks up my stuff. Raven quickly walks holding me as gently as possible. We soon reach Priscilla who is sitting on her horse.

"Oh my!" Priscilla exclaims looking me over.

"Can you heal her?" Guy asks.

She looks at him nodding. Do I see a blush on her face? I look over at Guy to see him blushing, too. I should ask him about it later. I feel the warm glow of the staff's magic working on my damaged skin. The tingling pain goes away slowly. My lack of energy, however, stays the same.

"Are you alright?" Priscilla asks.

I nod looking at her. My eyelids are starting to feel really heavy. Raven places me on the ground. I slightly lose my balance but Lucius is right there to help me.

"Maybe you should stay near us." He suggests. "You still don't look so good."

I nod sluggishly. Guy hands me my weapon and quiver back and I smile at him nodding. Too weak to talk. We keep moving ahead. Knights were heading in our direction. I spot Marcus and Sain fighting them off. Raven runs ahead helping the two out.

A shaman runs in my direction. I'm about to pull out an arrow when Lucius quickly attacks using his light magic. I smile at him appreciatively. I need a little more time before I am actually able to attack. I will if I have to, though.

Raven returns to our side. The three of us move forward. Things were going well when suddenly I feel something change in the air. It was a subtle change, but I definitely felt it. Lucius stopped in his tracks looking at his hands.

"What's wrong?" Raven asks.

"I… I don't think I can use my magic." He says. He reads from his tomb but nothing happens. His eyes grow wide along with mine. "What's going on?"

I look around at the enemy magic users. They seem confused as well. It looks like it's not their doing, either. I look back at where we came from. Two magic users were fighting using their magic just fine. So there is a limit to how far this strange barrier can reach.

"We are going to have to protect you from here." I say to Lucius.

He looks at me worriedly. "Will you be alright to fight?"

I nod. I look at Raven. "He will be my back up, too." He looks to the side making me smile. I look back at Lucius. "Stay close to us, okay?"

He nods. "Let's go."

Raven goes ahead and attacks a defenseless magic user. I aim my arrow at another one running in the direction of the others. I release it and it flies through the air until it makes contact with the back of his head. He falls over without a sound.

Raven and I continue fighting protecting Lucius. I see the Lord Eliwood and Lady Lyn running up towards were the leader is. I believe he is a sage. Looks like he is in trouble since he can't use his magic. Wait… usually there are the three lords together. Where is Lord Hector?

I turn around to Lucius is close. Behind him, though, a knight starts to attack using his lance. I gasp quickly pulling on Lucius arm. The knight misses (thankfully) and I have now pushed Lucius behind me. I pull out my arrow and fire. It simply bounces off of his armor.

"Raven!" Lucius calls.

I look to find him running towards us. The knight goes in for another attack. I have my bow get in the way of the lance. I hear it cracking. Ah, oh… _Snap!_ It is now broken. The tip of the lance is now reaching for my stomach.

Just as I thought I was going to get stabbed Raven is there slicing through the lance making the front half fall to the ground. Raven pivots on his main foot and swings his sword diagonally from shoulder to waist. The armor breaks and blood spills. The man falls back in agonized pain. In a quick few moments he is dead.

Raven turns to us. "Are the both of you okay?" he asks panting.

"W-We're fine now." I say hesitantly. "Thanks."

"Thank you, Raven." Lucius says with a sigh of relief.

Raven nods. I look at my hands were I now hold my broken bow. It has been with me through so much and now it's broken. I don't think I can fix it up. What should I do? I guess I'm going to have to tell Mark.

The three of us make our way to where the others are. It looks like the leader has been dealt with. Everyone is gathering around. I stick with Lucius and Raven. If I pass out, I know they will be able to help me.

For no reason I look to the side. I see four unknown people surrounding a red-robed stranger. The stranger glances at me, smiles, and then disappears into the fortress. The four guards follow the strange person in. Were those his body guards? Who was that person? Whoever it was, I guess it doesn't matter. The strange feeling in the air is gone.

"Is everyone well?" Lord Eliwood asks.

"Yes, somehow." Lord Hector says.

"Eliwood, I'm sorry." Lady Lyn says. "I said things I shouldn't have."

Lord Hector looks at her. "No, I was shouting without thinking. I was wrong. Forgive me."

Lady Lyn glances at him shaking her head. "No, it was my fault. If I hadn't…"

"It's no one's fault." Lord Eliwood cut in. "There's an eerie power here."

Lord Hector asks, "Eerie power?"

"I don't feel it any longer, but…" Lord Eliwood pauses. "It was meant to make us uneasy. Was it connected to that area where magic was nullified?"

I pause and think about it. Maybe it was that strange robed-man I saw that had something to do with it. I wonder why he smiled at me, though. That was something I wasn't expecting.

Lady Lyn breaks through my thoughts. "Now that you mention it, I was so irritable… I couldn't let even the smallest thing go by without complaining. …What could that have been? The Black Fang couldn't use magic either. So it wasn't an ally of theirs…"

Lady Lyn is right. The enemy looked confused when they couldn't use their magic. It's very strange. Well, maybe that man isn't an ally or an enemy. He is just… there. This is all very confusing, indeed.

"Who knows?" Lord Eliwood asks.

"It's gone now, so no sense in worrying about it." Lord Hector says shrugging. "We should concentrate on pushing forward."

"Hmm." Lord Eliwood agrees. "Let's make haste to the Dragon's Gate."

My legs become very wobbly. Now that they are done talking I can rest, right? No more fighting for a while? I lose strength and fall back. Somehow my back doesn't hit the ground. My vision becomes fuzzy as I look up. I can't make out who it is. Feeling defeated by my own weariness, I black out.

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><p><strong>So, what did I tell you? Pretty quick and simple, huh? It's sad that Luna's bow broke. :( But, good things will be happening in the next chapter. :D Oh, and if for some reason you haven't noticed I have updated my story RDHS and LOTS of people have checked it out (since I can check out the traffic)! It's amazing, really! XD Anyway, let me thank my faithful reviewers.<strong>

_**Meru-64 (pairings are fun to think about xD)  
><strong>_

_**patattack (hopefully this chapter was a bit more happy filled ^^)  
><strong>_

_**ExposedWiresExposedVeins** **(I hope my story continues to be good and that the errors get smaller and smaller :D)**_

**Alright, well, that's it. For once I don't have much to say! XD Oh, wait, there is one thing... I got my hair cut! I used to have long hair but, since it's summer, I thought it would be nice to get it short. Plus, change isn't always a bad thing. XD I talked to my friend and she said I could donate my hair to an organization called Locks of Love. So, I went to a salon. They said I have to donate 10 inches! So, 10 in. of my hair is gone and now the length is shorter than shoulder length. *gasp* So... yeah! XD My hair got mailed and I hope they can make a really nice wig out of it. ^_^ So, before I talk on for forever, bye! XD**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello, everyone! Sorry for the wait (even though it is Saturday...)! Anyway! This was a very long, sort of painful chapter. ;_; This was pretty long, too. So, please read and enjoy it! ^_^**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or the characters. I just own my OC Luna.**

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><p><span>Chapter 11:<span>

I woke up again early in the morning due to my nightmare. Are they ever going to end? I wonder if it is this place's fault. Or maybe it's something else… Oh, well. I guess I need to find a way to spend time before we have to pack up and leave for the Dragon's Gate. I shiver at the thought.

_**(Later)**_

"Hey, Luna." Mark says looking at me.

I look up from where I am sitting reading a book. "What's up?"

I place the book and stand up. He is carrying some armor and a large bow. He hands them to me and I look at him in confusion. I see the Orion's Bolt and my eyes grow wide.

"I think you deserve to be promoted to the sniper class." He tells me in a serious tone.

"I-I…" I stutter out, "Do I r-really deserve this?" I ask.

He nods. "You've proven yourself in battle. I also heard that your old bow broke. I thought this would be the perfect time to promote you."

I stare at the armor for a few seconds. I take a deep breath. I then look up at him smiling. "Thank you, Mark. This is an honor."

He smiles lightly. "Now, if you will excuse me."

He places the Orion's Bolt on top of the stuff before turning and leaving. I stare after him blushing. He really believes in me that much to promote me! This is great! I just really hope that I can prove him right. That I really do deserve this. I won't let him down!

I place the stuff down. Carefully I start putting on the chest and shoulder armor on. They feel kind of heavy. I notice that on the armor there is an indent. I look at the Orion's Bolt that is now in my hands. Carefully, I place it in.

I gasp as I feel energy flow through my body. The armor seems to grow lighter on my body making it more comfortable to wear. This must be what if feels like to get promoted. It feels great!

I glance at the large bow on the ground. I pick it up and look it over. It's colored a dark navy blue and is almost as tall as me. As I hold it in my hands I notice how… right… it feels in my hands.

"Luna!" a girl exclaims excitedly.

I turn towards the voice to see Serra running over. She is holding her healer staff and… a light tomb? She beams looking at me.

"Hi, Serra." I say.

"Guess what? Mark promoted me to bishop!" she exclaims. She then shows me the Guilding Ring on her finger.

I smile. "It's really pretty."

"I know, right?" She glances me over. "Looks like I wasn't the only one who got promoted." Serra says smiling.

I nod. "It's great since my old bow broke."

"I heard about that!" she exclaims. "A close call you had there, huh?"

"Yeah."

Serra gives me a mischievous smile. "Lucky you. A handsome man like Raven comes and saves you." She clasps her hands together. "Sounds like a fairytale to me."

I blush. "Serra, it isn't like that."

"Whatever you say…" she says winking. I open my mouth to protest but she continues talking. "Anyway, Lucius is going to help me use light magic. I don't have time to stand here and chat. Later!"

Serra walks away. I look at her confused. Wasn't she the one that wanted to talk to me? Not the other way around? I shake my head smiling. She is always upbeat and hyper. I wish I could smile all the time like she does. Well, I think she would be more likable if she would talk so much. I giggle.

_**(Much Later)**_

I gasp glancing at the large ruins. It's so tall and beautiful! The marble looks like it doesn't have a single scratch on it!

"…We're here." Lord Eliwood announces. "The Dragon's Gate…"

I touch the cool surface of it. Shivers run up my spine.

"What's wrong, Ninian? You're trembling."

I turn around to see Lord Eliwood looking at Ninian with concern. I don't blame him. She looks extra pale today.

"…This place… so frightening." Ninian says. "Something… powerful…"

"It's her power, isn't it?" Lady Lyn asks.

"Her power? What's that?" Lord Hector asks.

I walk over to the group. I place a hand on Ninian's shoulder and she looks at me. I smile at her and she weakly returns it with her own.

I look at Lady Lyn as she explains, "Ninian has the ability to sense impending danger." Under my hands I feel her become cold. I look back at Ninian worriedly. "Her memory may be gone, but her power remains."

"What is it you sense, Ninian?" Lord Eliwood asks.

"I…" Ninian says as I move my hand, "should not have… come here." She begins sweating. "Something awful will happen if I'm here." Her eyes grow wide. "Ah!"

Everyone panics including me. "Ninian?" I exclaim.

Lord Eliwood grabs her shoulders. "Snap out of it!"

"This place..." Ninian says. "No… I… I…"

"She's getting worse!" Lord Eliwood exclaims looking at us. "Let's get her away from here!"

"You'll not be going anywhere." A voice I don't recognize says.

Shivers run up my spine. Suddenly a man appears in front of us. Mark defensively steps in front of me. I glance at the stranger to see he is wearing dark robes, has pale skin, long dark hair, and golden eyes. My eyes are wide.

"That little bird has escaped this island cage twice." The man says. "Now that she's back, she'll not be allowed to fly away again."

Lord Eliwood blocks Ninian from the man. "Who are you?" he yells.

The stranger creepily smiles. "We meet at last. I am Ephidel. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"You're Ephidel?" Lord Hector asks. "I've been looking forward to this."

Ephidel looks at him. "Gallantly spoken. Of course, I know who you are. Marquess Ostia's younger brother, Lord Hector." He then looks at Lady Lyn. "And here we have Caelin's beloved princess, Lady Lyndis."

Someone touches my shoulder making me turn. It's Guy and Matthew near me.

"You alright?" Guy asks.

"Yes." I reply.

Matthew stands by me his knife in his hand. Guy stands on the other side of me with his sword. Since when did I become someone needing to be protected? This is strange indeed.

"By the way, the gift I left for you in the forest…" Ephidel continues. My eyes grow wide realizing what he is talking about. "Was it to your liking? The corpse of that filthy red-haired traitor?"

I glare at him. Then I quickly glance at Matthew. His eyes are boiling with hatred. I pull on his arm making sure he won't move. He looks at me. Matthew calms down slightly but I can still see the pain he has.

"Monster!" Lord Hector yells stepping closer to Ephidel. "Stay right there! I'm going to crush the life from you with my bare hands."

Ephidel's eyes grow larger with… amusement? "Now I see! She was an Ostain spy, wasn't she?" He continues smiling that creepy smile as his eyes look calm. "Don't worry, she did not suffer. It only took one blow."

My eyes grow wide as I cover my mouth. How awful! How can he say that so calmly?

"Die!" Lord Hector exclaims.

He runs up at him to attack with his axe. Ephidel disappears in a blink of an eye.

"He vanished!" Lord Eliwood exclaimed.

I look around. I see him appear behind Ninian and grabbing her. He is only a couple of feet away from me.

"Eep!" I exclaim.

Mark quickly grabs me as if to protect me from the dangerous person.

"Wha-?" Ninian exclaims.

"This girl is needed for my master's ceremony." Ephidel says.

"Ninian!" Lord Eliwood exclaims.

"Lord Eliwood!" Ninian calls reaching out towards him. Ephidel has a tight grip on her, however. She turns to him with scared eyes. "Let me go!"

Lady Lyn runs up to grab her but Ephidel quickly disappears taking Ninian with him. The three lords surround the area where Ninian was just standing.

"Vanished…" Lady Lyn says.

Lord Hector yells, "Blast!"

Tears prick at my eyes. "It's my fault." I say.

Guy looks at me curiously. "What are you talking about? It wasn't your fault."

I shake my head. "I was right there. I… I could have done _something_."

My brother hugs me tightly. "It's alright." He says soothingly. "No one could have done anything."

I close my eyes tightly.

"Mark is right." Matthew says. "Even I wouldn't have been fast enough to grab Ninian."

I look at him sadly.

"I've been waiting for you, son of Pherae." A man says.

My brother lets go of me. I look at where the voice came from to see it is a paladin in red armor. He has a scary smile on his face.

"Where is my father?" Lord Eliwood asks.

"Inside… He's farther inside." The paladin answers. "You will never see him, though. Even if you break through here, the path you seek is guarded by Marquess Laus." My eyes widen. "Will you not withdraw? It's too late for that, isn't it? You'll never leave here alive."

Another shiver runs up my spine as the paladin laughs in a way like this was all a huge game to him. The paladin rides away on his horse. Matthew stands close to me along with Guy. I look at the both drawing strength from the both of them. If they can stay in control, so can I. I close my eyes taking deep breaths.

Mark has gone to make plans with the three lords. I clutch my new bow tightly. Time to fight and be strong. Guy walks over to where Priscilla is on her horse and starts talking to her. Oh, that's right! I forgot to talk to him about something! I guess I will have to ask later. I sigh. If I remember, that is.

"Luna." Mark says to me. I look at him. "You and Guy are to protect Matthew as he picks at doors and such."

I nod. Mark gives orders to the other members of the group. Once we were settled, it was time to move out. Matthew moves to a door to the left.

He was about to pick at it when it opens on its own. A sniper steps out. Matthew jumps back as the enemy aims at him. Guy runs up and slashes him with his sword. The sniper falls to the ground silently. Matthew takes the bow from the enemy and examines it.

"Oh, cool!" he exclaims. "A silver bow!" He turns to me and shows it to me. "You want it?"

I look at it unsure. "Um… Is it ok to take it from him? It's not very nice."

"He's dead." Matthew says plainly. "He's not going to need it anymore." I glare slightly at him. "Oh, come on. It's going to go to waste." He complains.

I sigh. "Fine."

I take it from Matthew hands and he smiles. I look it over. I do have to admit, it looks very nice. Matthew runs into the building with Guy behind. I run to Merlinus' tent.

He looks at me smiling. "Hello. Is there something you need or want me to hold?"

I hand him the silver bow. "If you could hold on to this that would be great."

Merlinus nods. "Of course! It will be safe in my hands!"

I smile. "Thank you."

I run back to see Guy and Matthew standing outside. They walk up to me.

"Ready to move on?" Matthew asks.

I nod.

We run up where the others had went. I see a bunch of them fighting knights. Lord Hector is currently fighting the paladin that had talked to Lord Eliwood earlier. Then Matthew runs up to a door and picks at it. Guy and I wait on the side prepared to attack.

"Hey!" Serra calls out running to us.

Matthew opens the door and glances at Serra looking annoyed. "What do you want?"

"I want to help!" she exclaims beaming.

Matthew scoffs. "How can you help?"

Serra glares at him placing her hands on her sides. "I can use my light magic to help!"

He rolls his eyes. "Alright, fine. Just watch yourself."

Guy walks in followed by Serra. I walk in and Matthew follows behind. There a knight starts walking over towards us to attack with his spear. Guy attacks scratching his armor. Serra opens her light tomb and reads a spell from it. My eyes grow wide as a bright light hits the armor and it shatters. I take an arrow and aim. I fire it and it goes deep into his chest. The knight calls out in pain falling back.

"See?" Serra yells at Matthew. "I told you I could help!"

Matthew smirks. "Alright, alright. No need to get mad. Thanks for the help."

She smiles. "Of course!"

Matthew jogs over to the two chests and starts picking at one of them. Serra turns to me.

"I'm going to find Erk." She says. "Bye."

My eyes widen slightly. "Oh, ok. Bye."

She smiles jogging out of the place. Matthew is now picking the second chest. Once he is finished the three of us leave that area. This leaves the main part of the building. Matthew, to my surprise, runs to the side and not through the main entrance. Confused, Guy and I follow him.

We come to where Lord Eliwood and a few others are fighting. Bartre is breaking down the wall. Just as we arrive the wall breaks. Matthew rushes in along with Guy, Bartre, Lord Eliwood, and I.

A thief with long purple hair glances at us. He is standing next to an open chest. He must have already taken the stuff out of the chests in here. Oh, man.

The man smiles. "Well, this is a surprise." He says.

"Who are you?" Lord Eliwood asks pointing his blade at him.

The man's smile doesn't faulter. "I am a former Black Fang member but am now a common theif."

"So… you're _not_ our enemy?" I ask timidly.

He glances at me smirking. "That's correct, young lady." He then looks back at Lord Eliwood. "Now, if you will excuse me, I am leaving now. Let's pretend we never saw each other." He turns around.

"Hey, wait!" I call out walking past Guy and Mathew.

I didn't mean to say anything but it just kind of… came out. The thief turns around glancing at me with humor in his eyes. Everyone else looks at me with surprise on their face. I ignore them, however.

"Yes, miss?" the man asks.

I stand my ground. "Could you assist us?" I ask.

"Luna?" Matthew exclaims. "What are you thinking?"

I continue looking at the man. His eyes have slightly grown wide. "Help you?"

I nod. "Any info you have on the Black Fang could be useful to us."

"She's right." Lord Eliwood says standing next to me. "We need all the help we can get."

The thief looks at him evenly. "I guess I could help. The thing is I don't know anything about the new Black Fang. The only thing is that Brendan Reed is not your enemy but a bad man named Nergal."

"We already know that." Lord Eliwood says.

"Well… if you still want my help-"

Lord Eliwood cuts the thief off with, "Yes, I do! Thank you. My name is Eliwood."

Legault smirks. "I'm Legault. I'll help as long as I feel safe."

Lord Eliwood nods moving ahead. Legault looks at me and steps closer to me. I look up a little surprised. I see his eyes have a little bit of pain hidden within them. His smirk becomes a gentle smile. He places a hand on my head.

"You remind me of someone I knew once." He says quietly.

I look at him confused unsure of what to say. He removes his hand and walks in the same direction as Lord Eliwood. Bartre runs ahead a smile on his face.

"Don't' just stand around!" Bartre exclaims smiling widely. "Let's fight!" With that he runs ahead holding his axe.

"Did that Legault guy say anything weird to you?" Matthew asks standing near me.

I look at him. "No, he didn't." I reply. I smile. "We better go join the others."

Matthew looks at me with doubt but nods anyway. He jogs ahead. I follow behind him with Guy by my side. We pass by a dead knight so the group is definitely ahead. We keep going until we see the others.

Lord Eliwood and Lord Hector are fighting Lord Darin. Also helping them is Lucius with his light magic. Like I've seen Serra done earlier, Lucius shatters the armor with his light magic. His looks more powerful that Serra's, though. That's to be expected. Serra did just get promoted and all.

Lord Eliwood runs up and pierces Lord Darin right through the chest. His eyes grow wide as the lord pulls his sword out. Lord Darin falls to his knees. He says some inaudible things.

The only thing I can hear is, "Ephidel! Come to me! Your master… calls you!"

A few more things I can't hear is spoken before he finally falls and he no longer moves. Everyone regroups near the throne.

Lady Lyn says, "He was mad."

"Consumed by his own lust… Pitiful fool." Lord Hector comments.

Lord Eliwood pauses looking at the dead man. "Lord Darin."

"C'mon, Eliwood!" Lord Hector says quickly. "This is no time for sentiment."

"Your father needs you!" Lady Lyn adds in.

"…Let's go!" Lord Eliwood exclaims.

Mark walks over to Lord Eliwood. They have a quick discussion which I can't here. I see Lord Eliwood nod and turn to the group.

"Lyn, Hector, Mark, and I are going to move ahead! You guys wait here! We will be back as soon as possible!"

My eyes grow wide. This feeling of dread overcomes my body. I have a bad feeling about this… I run up to my brother and grab his arm. He looks at me.

"Let me come with you!" I exclaim quickly.

"No." he replies.

I don't move. I look at him glaring slightly. "Let me come! I have a really bad feeling about this!"

He pauses for a few moments. He then sighs heavily. "You are not going to let up, are you?" I shake my head. He sighs again. "Alright, fine. Let's hurry."

I let go of him nodding. The three lords, Mark, and I run up a pair of stairs as the others wait behind. I'm glad Mark let me go. I really do have a bad feeling. I can't explain it. I feel like something awful is going to happen and I need to be there with Mark.

We enter this large area with a huge pair of stairs in front of us. It's really dark making it hard to see. Mark takes my hand and pulls me close to him.

"Father!" Lord Eliwood calls out. "Father?" He looks around. "It's me! Eliwood! I've come to save you!" He pauses. "Father?"

"It's dark in here." Lord Hector says. "Can't see a thing…"

"Eli… Eliwood…" a faint voice says.

"Ah!" Lord Eliwood exclaims. He runs up the stairs a bit farther up. "Father! Where are you?"

We all scan the area. Lady Lyn suddenly gasps.

"Back there!" Lady Lyn exclaims. "Eliwood! His voice is coming from back there!"

We all run up the stairs to the top. I gasp as I see the entire area. I could see statues of dragons here and there making my heart race. I see a man with red hair lying on the floor.

"Ah! Father!" Lord Eliwood exclaims rushing to his side. "You… You're all right…"

The rest of us also step near Lord Eliwood's father. I look the man over. He looks like he is in a lot of pain. I feel so bad for him. I'm just glad we found him alive. Lord Eliwood must be feeling really relieved right now.

"Eliwood…" the man says quietly look at his son. Suddenly, his eyes grow wide. "Wait! For-Forget me! Take that girl and flee!"

I look to see Ninian standing in front of a very large gate. My eyes grow wide as I look it over. It's a very intimidating thing. Plus the fact that the dark adds more creepiness to it. I focus my attention back at Ninian. She is plainly standing there not moving or speaking. Lord Eliwood runs up to her.

"Ninian?" he exclaims.

Ninian stays silent making me worry. Something has to be wrong.

"That girl…" Lord Eliwood's dad says. I glance back at him. "She's the key to the Dragon's Gate. Hurry! Go, before Nergal notices you!"

The panic in his voice makes my feelings of unease skyrocket like crazy.

"Ninian!" Lord Eliwood exclaims. "This way! We must flee!"

Again, Ninian doesn't say anything. Ah oh…

Lady Lyn stands next to Lord Eliwood concern on her face. "Something's wrong with her… Yet we've no time to hesitate."

"Eliwood!" Lord Hector calls out. "I've got your father! You take Ninian!"

"I understand!" Lord Eliwood calls back.

I turn to Lord Hector to see him kneeling by the man.

"Lord Elbert! I'm going to move you a little. Be strong." He says.

"Hector… you came, too? …Thank you." Lord Elbert says weakly.

"Don't worry about that." Lord Hector says coolly. "Come, let's leave this place."

Lord Hector lifts Lord Elbert up gently. Mark runs over to help. I glance back at Lord Eliwood taking Ninian's arm to guide her. The uneasiness I feel keeps building up more and more without mercy. Why do I feel like this?

"Eliwood! Hector! Hurry! This way!" Lady Lyn calls. I run up to her. Suddenly, a man appears out of nowhere on the stairs. "Ah!" she exclaims.

I freeze in place I look over the man. He is a tall, tanned person. He is wearing a lot of brown. Brown cloak, brown shirt, and brown pants. His hair, however, is a very dark red. No emotion on his face what-so-ever.

"You will not pass here." He plainly states. He draws up a knife.

Lady Lyn asks, "When did you-?"

"You must not fight that man!" Lord Elbert interrupts loudly.

"What?" she exclaims.

"That man… is dangerous. You cannot defeat him on your own." He explains.

"Father, there's no time." Lord Eliwood says. "This danger must be faced."

"Be a good boy, and listen to your father, young master Eliwood." Someone suddenly says.

I quickly turn around to see Ephidel standing in front of Lord Eliwood making me gasp. I don't like it how people are appearing out of nowhere and without warning. It scares me every time. I'm tired of feeling scared, too.

"Ephidel!" Lord Eliwood exclaims.

Ephidel explains, "Even among the Black Fang, this man is feared for his skill… You are no match for him, not even as a group." That's when I see the man that stopped Lady Lyn quickly appear next to Ephidel. "You've done well, Jaffar. That is all. Return to Bern and begin your next assignment."

The man doesn't say anything. He just quickly nods before dashing away and down the stairs. I run to the top of the stairs to see where he went but he is nowhere to be found.

"Hear my word!" Ephidel says. I turn to look at him. "I have an invitation from my master. In honor of your hard-fought arrival, he's prepared a special show for you."

Lord Elbert yells, "Stop it! You cannot release the dragons!"

I can feel myself grow pale and my eyes widen. My body trembles slightly. Did he just say what I think he said? Dragons? Why would he say that? There is no way they could release dragons! …Right?

"Father?" Lord Eliwood asks. "What's all this about?"

"You will know shortly." Ephidel answers. "At the expense of your father's life!"

I could feel a change in the air. What's going on? I'm not understanding-

"Guwaah!" Lord Elbert calls out. "…Gaa… ghaa…"

My eyes widen glancing at him. He is in so much pain but I don't know why! That's when I see Ninian closer to Lord Elbert. She is blankly staring at him but with a certain purpose.

"Father!" Lord Eliwood exclaims. "What's wrong? Father!"

"Lord Elbert! Hold on!" Lord Hector exclaims.

"Huh? …Ninian?" Lord Eliwood asks.

"Pow… pow…er… …power…" Ninian says weakly.

"Gahaaa!" I can see Lord Elbert growing weaker. This can't be good!

"Father!" Lord Eliwood calls out.

Lord Elbert falls to his knees and Lord Hector holds him with one arm. Panic and confussion is very clear on his face like everyone else's. That includes me, too.

"Now, Ninian… at last." Someone suddenly says. I look to see a man with dark robes on. He is standing next to Ninian. "Open the Dragon's Gate."

"…Gate… Open… gate…" Ninian says weakly.

That's when I could feel the ground shaking and the large gate started to light up. I shield my eyes from the bright light as I watched with fear and awe. I found it difficult to stand on my feet. Mark is suddenly next to me holding me up.

"Yes… that's it…" the robed man says. "This way, dragon…"

"Whoa! What's… What's this rumbling?" Lord Hector yells.

"Unh! I can barely keep my feet!" Lady Lyn calls out.

"Nergal…" Lord Eliwood says. "What… What's happening?"

Ninian starts talking, "Here… Come, children of… flame. Come… to me…"

The gate flashed brightly making me see nothing but white for a few seconds. When I was able to see again there was a dragon right there, inside the gate. I fall to my knees with Mark hugging me tightly. My past flashes in my mind.

"_I'm scared of dragons, mommy." I whisper shaking uncontrollably._

Tears prick at my eyes.

_She rubs my back. "I know, sweetie. They are scary."_

"…It can't be." Lord Hector says.

"Ah… No… It isn't…" Lady Lyn says.

"Is that… truly… a dragon?" Lord Hector asks.

Everyone was so awe stricken by the presence of the dragon. It's just something so unimaginable. This can't be happening. It just can't be.

Nergal starts laughing like crazy. He spreads his hands up in the air yelling, "Yes! Use all your strength! Squeeze every drop from your body! You will call dragons!"

The dragon starts stepping out of the gate slowly.

"I will not allow this!" a familiar voice calls out.

I look to see a young boy running towards Ninian. Ah, it can't be! Is it really…?

"Who's there?" Ephidel shouts. He then spots the boy. "You!"

"Nils!" Lady Lyn exclaims.

Nils stops and starts yelling, "Ninian! Come to your senses! You must not do what they want!"

"…Ni… …Nils…" Her concentration starts breaking.

"Nils? Not now!" Nergal yells. "Grrr…" He turns to Ephidel. "Ephidel!" He points at the boy. "Stop him!"

"Desist, Nils!" Ephidel yells. "The power… It runs wild!"

"Ninian!" Nils continues shouting.

I can see Ninian's eyes return to normal as she glances at her brother. "Nils?" she asks.

"Here! Hurry!" Nils calls out. "The dragon is crumbling. Everyone flee!"

My brother abruptly pulls me up and everyone starts sprinting so they are closer to the stairs. I look back quickly to see that the dragon is in fact crumbling. Nergal and Ephidel are just standing there silently.

Then Nergal vanishes. My brother pulls me in a tight hug so my face is in his chest. I close my eyes tightly.

Ephidel's screams are clear in my ears. "Hyaaaa! Stop… You mustn't come here! Lord Nergal! Lord Nergal! Please…! Guwaaaaaaaaahhh!"

The ground stops trembling and everything becomes dead silent. I pull away from my brother and look around.

"Something… happened." Lord Hector states.

"Is it… gone?" Lord Eliwood asks.

Nergal reappears. "No! I've failed! Nils, you whelp! If not for your interference…" He steps closer to the two siblings. "Come! Both of you!"

"What? No!" Ninian exclaims.

"Never! We will not follow you!" Nils exclaims.

Nergal is now dangerously close to the two of them.

"Ninian! Nils!" Lord Eliwood exclaims.

I see Lord Elbert dash at Nergal and attack him with a knife.

"Eh!" Nergal calls out.

"You will… not!" Lord Elbert yells.

"What?" Nergal exclaims. He steps away from Lord Elbert and starts becoming weak. "Impossible…" he says glaring at the lord. "Not… by your hand…"

Lord Elbert is also becoming weak. "I told you. I will… oppose… you always…"

"…Why… won't… you… die?" Nergal asks angrily. He winces in pain from the wound. "Nnn…"

Nergal vanishes once more.

"Father!" Lord Eliwood calls running to his side.

"…Eliwood. Be prepared." His father warns. "He will return…"

"All right, but for now… Let's leave this island…" Lord Eliwood smiles sadly. "Let's go home."

Lord Elbert shakes his head. "No, my son… I'm done here. You, Eliwood… You must finish this."

Lord Eliwood's eyes grow wide. "Don't say that! Mother is waiting in Pherae… She's waiting for you, Father!" he yells.

Lord Elbert smiles weakly. "Ah… Eleanora… She will be cross with me." He closes his eyes. "Eliwood… Your mother… I'm sorry… Tell her… I'm… sorry…"

Lord Elbert falls back. Lord Eliwood catches his father falling on his knees. He holds him tightly looking at his face. Lord Elbert isn't breathing or moving. My eyes start to sting.

"Father?" Lord Eliwood asks shakily. "No… Please, not now…" I can see tears falling down his cheek. "Not after all we've done to find you again…" He clutches his father's pale hand in his own. "Father… Please… Open your eyes…" He then screams, "Faaaatherrrrrrrr!"

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><p><strong>Please leave a review and tell me what you thought about this chapter! I really would appreciate it! ^_^ Let me now take the time to thank the following reviewers:<strong>

**_Meru-64 (Without fail you always make me laugh. XD)_**

**_patattack (I wonder how everyone will react to who Luna ends up getting paired with... I'm still not telling, though! ;) )_**

**_Hyralc (Your reviews always help me focus on my story better. They help me look out for certain things. ^^ Thanks for that.)_**

**_Popcorn noms Lili (New reviewer! *gasps* XD Anway, thanks again for your concern. BTW, I love your username! XD)_**

**Well, that's it. Hope to see you all next Saturday! ^_^ If for some reason if you haven't checked out RDHS yet you definitely should. It reached 400 hits the other day making me SUPER happy! X) Anyway... sayonara! ^^**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hi, everyone! Saturday means DDD chapter update! Woot! Anyway, I am pretty happy with this chapter. You don't hear me say that often, do you? XD I don't always believe in myself but you readers always help me feel better. So... let's get this show on the road!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or the characters. I just own Luna. If you didn't know any of this and had to rely on the 'disclaimer' to know that, that's just sad. ROFLOL**

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><p><span>Chapter 12:<span>

The ship ride back to Port Badon was nothing but silence and misery. It didn't help the fact that I was already having nightmares but to know everyone else was feeling miserable, too. To come all that way and find Lord Eliwood's father just for him to painfully die. I feel so bad for him. What would it be like if my parents died? I would probably act the same way as the lord is.

It is now nighttime and we are staying at an inn somewhere. Lady Lyndis is talking to the two siblings. I wonder how they are doing. I think I feel really bad for Ninian. She must be feeling really sad, too. Everything is sad. I wish there was a way I could cheer everyone up. I don't know how to, though.

I hear a knock at my room door. "Come in." I say.

The door opens to reveal Mark. He walks in and sits next to me on the bed. It stays silent for a minute or two. I don't know what he wants but it must be serious. I see sadness on his face like with everyone else.

"You've been having nightmares for a while, right?" he suddenly asks.

My eyes widen. "Well, yeah…."

"They are about the wyvern riders when we were children, correct?"

"Yes, they are." I answer.

Silence. Then, finally, he opens his mouth. "You need to get over your fears of them." My eyes widen once more. "You are going to have to fight against them. But, who knows, there might be a wyvern rider who isn't bad."

I look at the floor tears pricking my eyes. "The nightmares won't leave me alone. Every night they are either the same thing or they get worse. At first I thought it was because of Dread Isle. But, we left, and they are still invading my mind." I tear slides down my cheek and I close my eyes. "I don't know what to do."

Mark hugs me close rubbing my back. I wipe my tears away. We stay like this for a few moments. I leaned back once I felt better. I look up at my brother.

"You better go check on the lords." I say. "They might need you for something."

He hesitantly nods. He stands up. He looks at me one more time. "If you need to talk, I'm here. Alright?"

I nod smiling. "Thanks."

Mark exits the room shutting the door. I wonder where the other girls are. I'm supposed to be bunking with Serra, Rebecca, and Florina. Speaking of Florina… I wonder what's going on with her.

I have noticed that she bumps into Lord Hector a lot but she gets scared and runs away. She has the fear of men. I guess her and I have something in common. We both need to get over our fears. I smile taking comfort in that. I should talk to her sometime.

I don't know how much time passes as I am by myself in my room but soon Guy barges in the room looking out of breath. I look up at him surprised. He walks up to me and pulls me so I am standing up.

"What?" I exclaim.

"The area is under attack." He explains. "We have to go fight!"

I nod. "Let's go."

We run out of my room and down the stairs until we are outside. It is dark out but I can still see the group gathering around. Mark was there thinking up of a plan. I hope the plan includes torches.

"Lord Eliwood!" Ninian calls running past me to the lord.

The lord looks at her surprised. "Ninian? You shouldn't be here!"

She pauses. "Please allow me to help."

"Help?" Lord Eliwood asks. "I've no intention of making you fight…"

Again, she pauses. "I'm no mere dancer. My dances… They will help you."

That's when Ninian does something really neat. She twirls around with a white shawl and light glows around the lord. I stare at amazement watching her dance. It really is a pretty site.

He gasps. "This is…" Lord Eliwood says in amazement. "I'm wrapped in… some sort of… energy…"

"I used Ninis's Grace and danced for you, Lord Eliwood." Ninian explains. "It will only last a short while, but while it does, you are protected." She looks at him with such sadness but also determination. "…Please… allow me… to remain at your side."

His eyes are wide looking at her. I could see softness within them, too. "Ninian…" Finally, he nods. "Of course. If it will make you feel better. Don't leave my side."

"OK!" Ninian exclaims with much happiness.

She then goes talk to Mark which I can't hear anything. Matthew walks up to Guy and I.

"I guess I will have to be yours eyes like usual." Matthew says smirking.

I smile. "I guess so."

"Uh…" Guy says. We both look at him. "I'm going to go protect Priscilla…"

I could see his cheeks turning pink. I smirk at him knowingly. He totally likes her. If only he had the guts to tell her straight forward. Oh, well. I'm sure something will happen.

"Alright, lover boy." I say pushing him towards the cleric. "Be careful not to trip."

He glares at me but simply walks away to stand by Priscilla. I laugh slightly and Matthew looks at me confused.

"Lover boy?" he asks.

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed." I say accusingly. He shakes his head. I shake my head sighing deeply. "Never mind, then." I punch his arm smiling. "Let's go fight, okay?"

Still confused, he nods. "Alright."

That's when we start moving. I stay close to Matthew so I don't run into anything in the dark. We both run south along with a few other members. He looks to the right.

"Shoot to your right." He informs me quickly.

I turn to my right and look. I see a shadow so I shoot at it. An agonized pain fills the air before the shadow falls to the ground. I sigh with relief. Matthew runs to a house probably to warn them about the fighting. I wait.

He soon runs out. He then runs past an armory so I follow him. There is another house which he visits. It takes a short time before he is outside once more. I can hear the fighting happening close by. I want to hurry up and help them.

That's when I see Wil on the ballista. I turn to him slightly laughing.

"Remember last year when we both figured how to work it." I say.

He laughs as well. "Yeah. Good thing I know how to use it now."

I nod in agreement. I run up ahead to the main road when something red catches my eye. I look to see something large near me. My eyes widen in horror.

Matthew exclaims, "Luna! Look out! There is a-"

I scream. Just like my nightmares, the wyvern comes close to me and the rider readies his lance. I stand frozen solid. It feels like my feet are stuck on the ground. Tears slide down my cheeks. I see Kent ride by and stab the rider making him fall off the wyvern. The creature flies away.

"Luna!" someone exclaims.

It doesn't register. I don't move. I can't speak 'because nothing will come out. I snap out of it when someone grabs my arms shaking me. I start paying attention to see green armor. I look up to see Sain's scared face. He looks stern for once.

"Why didn't you move or attack?" he yells at me.

I shut my eyes tight covering my ears. More tears fall. The hands disappear so I open my eyes. To my surprise, Serra is there and she just wacked Sain's head with her cleric staff.

"What the heck was that for?" Sain yells at her.

"Don't yell at her!" she yells back. "She has been through a traumatizing incident and your solution is treating her roughly?"

"Serra." Erk says from next to her. "You are yelling."

"So?" she exclaims at him. "Sain needs to know how to treat a lady better!"

He mumbles something shaking his head. Serra looks at me with concern surprising me even more. She can switch moods in a snap of a finger. It's kind of scary…

"Are you alright?" she asks gently.

I wipe my eyes away quickly and nod.

"Let's get you out of here." Sain says. "You are in no condition to fight."

An enemy cavalier rides over to us. I quickly run past Sain and shoot the horse rider down. The man falls off and the horse continues running past us in an unknown direction. I turn to face them to see everyone's faces are full of shock.

"So much for being in no condition to fight." Erk simply says.

Matthew laughs and Serra smiles. "Looks like she is good." Serra says.

I look at Sain to see his face is unreadable. I don't know what he is feeling or anything. It is like that for a few seconds until he smiles.

"Just be careful, alright?" Sain asks.

"Alright." I return.

Sain mounds his horse and rides ahead. Serra walks forward with Erk right next to her. Matthew walks forward and I follow looking around. I feel a bit paranoid. I can't help it. There is no way that was the only wyvern rider.

I see an enemy cavalier and shoot at him with my arrow. He falls off the horse. That's when I see another wyvern. Luckily, it's a good distance away from me. Wil shoots with the ballista but at an enemy somewhere farther away. Raven and Lucius deal with the wyvern.

We are nearly almost finished fighting these people. There is the leader we have to find and deal with. As more wyvern riders come to attack I make sure to make distance between them and me so I don't have the crying fit again.

Other enemies, however, I do attack. Like a simple archer I was able to easily defeat. An axe-wielder tries attacking Priscilla but Guy interferes quickly finishing him off. I smirk. It's official; those two need to hook up. I laugh slightly.

I move forward and spot what looks like the leader. What gives it away? The fact that he is a warrior. Matthew sprints to him, steals something, and runs away not giving the guy a chance to attack.

The man spots me and charges at me with a special looking axe. I ready the silver bow that Matthew gave me a while ago. I fire it and end up hitting his upper arm that he was holding the axe with. The guy stops for a few seconds in pain. He then pulls out the arrow. He charges at me once more.

Lucius stands by me and attacks with his light magic. The armor shatters. Lord Hector charges forward and finishes the man off with his own axe. The man falls back muttering a few things. He is then dead. I sigh with relief. It's finally over. I'm super tired.

Everyone regroups. Mark makes sure he is standing next to me being close to the three lords. I wonder what's up.

"Hey, are you okay?" Lord Hector asks Lord Eliwood.

The lord nods. "Mm. Sorry to worry you."

"You don't have to push yourself so." Lady Lyn adds looking worried.

"We'll have time for mourning when this is all finished." Lord Eliwood says to her. "For now, in my father's name…" His eyes become filled with strength as he glares at the two. "I will do everything I can to stop Nergal and protect our lands."

My eyes widen. All that strength he has within himself is amazing. I wish I could be that strong. I'm so weak when it comes to wyverns, however. I sigh silently. I really want to change that.

"I see." Lord Hector simply says. "So what do you have in mind?"

Lord Eliwood pauses for a few moments to think. He then says, "We need to see Marquess Ostia."

"My brother?" Lord Hector asks.

Lord Eliwood looks at him. "After all we've learned… We can't not tell him, can we?"

"Sure, I guess…" he says rather strangely.

Something tells me he is not eager about the plan.

Lady Lyn turns to him confused. "Hector? Why that odd expression?"

Lord Eliwood answers, "Hector doesn't want to meet Lord Uther. He's been lax in contacting him and is afraid to face him, right?" He looks at Lord Hector.

"What!" Lord Hector exclaims. "And how do you expect me to send him any messages when we're traipsing about the isles like merchants on holiday?"

I giggle slightly at his statement.

Lord Eliwood laughs. "He is going to be so mad!" He quickly runs away.

"C'mere!" Lord Hector yells. He chases after the other lord.

"Ha… They're both in good spirits." She says looking at Mark smiling. "It's a lot better than giving in to despair, I suppose."

My brother nods in agreement. "Things have been depressing for far too long. It's about time some happiness came around."

I smile at his words. He is definitely right. I start noticing how everyone is slowly returning to the inn that we are staying at. I'm about to go but Mark stops me.

"What is it?" I ask him.

"You're the one that screamed." He states.

I know it wasn't a question but I nod in answer.

Lady Lyn looks at me. "What happened?"

"She's afraid of wyvern riders." My brother explains. I glare at him. He ignores it. "Ever since we were little she has been scared of them. A group of them attacked our village."

Lady Lyn's eyes widen. "I never knew…"

I look at her. "I'm fine. I can handle myself." Its complete lies, but I have to put up a strong front.

"But-" Lady Lyn says.

I quickly turn around and run into the inn. I hear my brother call my name but I ignore it running to the room I'm staying in. I lie down on my bed and hide my face in the pillow. I don't want to deal with sympathy or everyone bugging me. I just want to help out and be there for my friends.

I was finished moping once the girls I'm sharing the room with come in. I put up a smile for them as they start settling in. Serra chats a lot with Rebecca trying to follow. Florina sits next to me on my bed looking really shy and nervous.

"Hey, Luna?" Florina asks.

"Hm?" I return patiently.

"C-Can I brush your hair?" she asks.

I smile. "Sure."

She grabs a brush and starts brushing away. I close my eyes smiling. It does feel nice.

"I used to do this with my sisters all the time when we were younger." Florina explains. "It helps calm my nerves…"

It grows silent. I wonder…

"Is something bothering you?" I ask.

"Well… It's just…" She pauses continuing to brush my hair. "H-How are you able to talk to m-men?" she asks.

I pause. Finally, I shrug. "I just talk to people. I like making friends no matter the gender."

"Huh." She says.

"You're scared of men?" I ask.

"Y-Yeah." Florina says. "And… I-I've been trying t-to thank Lord Hector."

"Lord Hector?" I ask. "For what?"

"W-Well, remember when I-I fell and landed on him?"

"Oh, yeah!" I say smiling brightly. "That was a long time ago, though."

"Yeah." She says. "I've n-never thanked him f-for that time."

I turn around and she stops brushing my hair. I take the brush. "May I?" I ask.

Florina nods. She turns around and I start brushing her hair. It is very pretty, that's for sure. It's very smooth and it is a very good color.

"I-I don't know wh-what to do." Florina says sounding sad.

"Why don't you practice?" I suggest.

"Practice?" she asks.

"Yeah. Just talk to yourself as if you were talking to him. When you are ready, go up to him and say what you want to say." I explain.

It's silent as I continue brushing the knots out of Florina's hair. I'm glad she brushed my own knots out. My hair feels better.

"That's a good idea." She states. I finish brushing her hair and she turns to me. A very sweet smile spreads across her face. "Thank you, Luna."

I smile back. "Anytime."

I hear someone cough and we both turn to the other side of the room. Serra and Rebecca are silent as they look at us. I can see Florina's cheeks turning pink. I smile.

"Did you like our conversation?" I ask.

Serra smiles widely. "That's so cute, Florina!" she exclaims ignoring my question. "Maybe one day you and Lord Hector can be a couple!" She winks.

Florina's entire face becomes red. "Wh-Wh-What?" she exclaims.

All of us laugh. I start to feel myself feeling better from earlier. All of us started chatting late into the night. Once we all got tired we fell asleep. I wonder what the future days will bring. Honestly, I'm feeling pretty eager.

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><p><strong>So, yeah. The ending was fun for me to type. ^^ Shows some girls bonding. I always have fun with those, for some reason. XD Anyway, I need to thank my reviewers for the last chapter. Before I do that, however, I need to explain something. Because I deleted the author's note chapter, the thing kinda screwed up. It now thinks that when people reviewed the chapter before the last one, it really was meant for the last chapter. XP Stupid fanfiction!<br>**

**_Meru-64 (Thanks for reviewing even though fanfic is acting mean to me! XD)_**

**Sorry the author's note was long! XD Well, hope to see you all next Saturday! :D  
><strong>


	13. Chapter 13

**Hi, everyone! It's another Saturday so that means another installment of Dragons, Dragons, Dragons! Yeah! *cheers* Anyway, I just want to say that I have been waiting for this chapter for a long while. I don't know why but I felt really excited about typing this. Well, don't let me stall you. Go read it! :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own characters or game. I own my OC, Luna. Enjoy! *bows***

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><p><span>Chapter 13:<span>

During our travels Florina, Canas, and Raven got promoted. I think it's really cool watching people getting promotions. Each person turns out different and they get stronger at what they do best; like I did when Mark promoted me to sniper.

We are now at a fortress. Apparently, we are to meet Marquess Ostia here. At least, that is what I have heard from Matthew. Thieves are not always good. But, then again, they aren't always bad, either.

"Ugh!" I hear Serra complain from nearby. "I'm bored!"

"S-Serra." Florina says timidly. "W-We should just w-wait ti-"

"How much longer do we need to wait?" she exclaims interrupting poor Florina. "We have been waiting for a long time! I can't stand this!"

"We haven't been waiting for that long." Erk says.

"It feels like we have!" Serra snaps at him.

I hold my hands to my head. I really don't need the commotion. The one night when Florina and I talked I didn't have a nightmare. Last night, however, it came back. Not as strongly like before, but it still scared me awake early in the morning.

"Will you just shut up already?" Matthew groans.

Serra whirls at him looking pissed. "What did you just say? How rude! Saying that to a proper lady like me!"

Matthew scoffs. "Proper lady?"

She glares at him when suddenly a 'thump' could be heard. I stand up and look around.

"No!" Ninian exclaims. I run in her direction. "Nils? Nils!"

When I am close enough to her I can see her kneeling on the ground by Nils. He is lying there unconscious. Oh no! What just happened to him? The three lords and my brother rush in as well.

"Nils?" Lady Lyn exclaims.

"Nils! You all right?" Lord Hector asks in his booming voice.

Ninian goes into hysteria. "Nils! Open your eyes!"

"Ninian!" Lord Eliwood says loudly. He picks her up holding her from behind. "Calm down!"

Ninian, to my relief, starts calming down. "Ah, I…"

"Let's move him into the back room and call a healer." Lord Hector says.

"You mustn't move him!" Ninian suddenly exclaims.

Everyone's eyes grow wide. What did she just say? Shouldn't we be worried about his health and taking him to a healer? Why would she tell us not to move him?

Lord Hector asks, "Huh?"

Lord Lyn asks, "Ninian?"

"I'm sorry, I… Um… Please, just for now… Don't move him." Ninian explains quietly and hesitantly while being released from Lord Eliwood's arms.

"But…" Lord Hector says unsure.

"Please…" I could hear the begging within her voice. My heart tightens.

"…Let's do as Ninian says." Lord Eliwood says. "She must have her reasons."

Ninian looks down at her brother. "Please, just one night's rest… That should… make things right."

"If it's going to make him feel better, fine." Lord Hector says. "Whatever you do, don't move him. I'll let the others know."

She looks up at him. "Lord Hector…" She pauses. "My apologies."

"No worries." He says.

Things calm down slightly. My brother resumes whatever conversation he was having with the three lords earlier. My nerves are building on me. I walk over to stand by Ninian to distract myself. She looks up at me and smiles weakly. I return the smile.

"Sir!" someone exclaims. I look at the direction of the voice to see a common foot soldier looking at Lord Hector. "We're under attack! It's the east gate! The foe is already inside!"

My eyes widen. We are going to have to fight? I really hope there are no wyverns this time. I have a feeling, however, that my wish won't be granted.

"Blast! They would show up now." Lord Hector says.

"We can't move Nils." Lord Eliwood says looking at the said boy lying near Ninian and I. He looks back at the others. "Let's try and hold them off! Protect Nils! Don't let them near him!"

I run out to where the main of our group is. I see Matthew, Guy, and Priscilla so I run up to them.

"Hey." I say.

They turn to me. Matthew smiles. "Hi."

Priscilla politely nods while Guy waves.

"So, what are we doing?" I ask.

Guy points down to his right. "We are going into that room to look around for chests Matthew can pick open."

"I-I'm coming to." Florina says suddenly appearing right next to me along with her pegasus.

"Oh, ok." I say quickly, stopping myself from gasping.

I really don't like being surprised like that. I'm in a nervous mood so extra surprises aren't good for me at the moment. Maybe later I can handle them better later. Right now, I need to focus on the fight.

"We better get going." Matthew says.

We all nod in agreement. We then make our way towards the door which Priscilla amazingly unlocks using a special staff. I find that very cool! It opens to reveal two axe-wielders and a mage.

Guy runs in to attack one of the axe guys while Priscilla stays hidden so she doesn't get attacked. Florina quickly flies in and fights the mage in the corner of the room. I shoot an arrow at the other enemy and it goes through his chest. He stumbles but doesn't fall. I shoot another arrow. This time he does fall over.

I hear flapping of wings that catches my attention. They are not light and quick like Florina's pegasus. This sound is slightly different. It's slower and… heavier? I run outside and swiftly turn to my left readying my bow and arrow. My eyes grow large as the image before me processes.

In front of me is a large green wyvern. The rider turns to me his golden eyes also widening slightly. He is a young man with very dark blue armor, a dark brown, long sleeved shirt underneath, and tanish/white pants. His hair is bright green with a section of it pure white on his left side.

My body is shaking and feeling cold as we stare at each other. He climbs off the wyvern rider making me more nerve wrecked. I pull the arrow back more on the string. He places down his lance holding his hands up. My eyes widen even more.

"I wish to surrender." He says.

"Wh-Wh-What?" I exclaim.

My mind is buzzing with a billion thoughts. Is he serious? This could be a trap. I don't lower my arrow as I continue aiming it at his chest. Should I shoot? I don't know what to do! I'm scared out of my mind!

He continues, "It's not in my code of honor to harm women and children within this battle. May I please speak to the commander of your group?"

I lower my arrow so it is pointing at the ground. It still doesn't help the shaking of my body. I should leave. Get out of here so I can calm down. If I don't things will end badly for me.

"F-Follow me." I say.

The green-haired man grabs his lance and goes to mound the wyvern. Quickly I turn around and start walking quickly into the fortress. I look at my hands to see they have grown pale. Shoot! I need to calm down quickly. I can hear that the person is following behind me with the wyvern. No! Don't think about the wyvern! Calm down! Just forget that a huge green wyvern is right behind you. Augh!

Ahead of me I see the person I am looking for. "Lord Eliwood!" I call out.

He turns to me and surprise spreads across his face. "Why is there a wyvern rider following you?"

"H-He…" I pause. "He wants to surrender."

Lord Eliwood looks at me confused before turning to the wyvern rider. "What is your name?"

"Heath." The man replies. I don't dare to look at him.

"Well, Heath, we could use all the help we can get. Would you like to join our group?" Lord Eliwood asks.

My eyes widen largely and I look at the lord. No, no, no, no, no! A wyvern rider on OUR team? Not good, not good, not good! My fear is going to be the death of me!

"Yes, sir." Heath responds.

That's it. I can't stand around here anymore. I sprint away from the two to find someone to stick around with. As long as I don't have to be near that wyvern rider I think I will be ok. I just need to focus on the battle. That's when I spot Lady Lyn and…

"Rath?" I exclaim.

He turns in my direction with a surprised look on his face. I smile as I run closer to the two. I stop by him and look up at him.

"Luna?" he asks. "What are you doing here?"

I pout putting my hands on my hips. "I don't see you for a whole year and that's how you want to say?" His face is serious, like always. I sigh laughing. "I'm here to fight, of course."

He nods. He looks ahead and I look to see Lady Lyn fighting an axe wielder. "We need to focus on the battle."

"Right." I return.

Rath rides up to help Lady Lyn with the axe-wielder. I need to make sure I talk to him later so we can catch up. I did miss him like I did the others who I have met up with while traveling with Lord Eliwood.

The fight continues for a while until finally Marcus and someone else defeats the leader of the enemy group. Someone on their group calls for a retreat. They all leave. Thank goodness it is finally over.

Once things settle down we all wait for the Marquess to show up. Hopefully it will be soon. I walk to where the pegasus' are kept hoping to find Florina. I really want to talk to her. I find speaking with her calms my nerves.

When I arrive, however, I don't see her anywhere. Something does surprise me. The wyvern is there near them. I freeze in place and he spots me. We have some kind of staring contest and I don't dare to move. The wyvern's head leans close to me. My body starts shaking slightly. He smells me a bit. Can they smell fear? If they can I probably wreak of it. He opens his mouth slightly.

I sprint away before I collapse. I can't take it. How am I going to be able to deal with wyverns when there is one on our side now! I need to get over my fears. I wish I can find Florina. I have a feeling she might be able to help me out.

I skid to a halt when I see Heath up ahead. He is walking in my direction. Crap! Not ready to talk to him yet! I make a sharp right and end up bumping into someone.

"Sorry." I say quickly.

I try to run past the person but they grab my arm. "Whoa, whoa, whoa." I look at the person's face to see its Legault. "Where do you think you are in such a hurry to?"

"Look, I'm really sorry." I apologize quickly. "I just need to get out of here."

"Why?" he asks.

I look to see Heath is closer. "Because I need to."

Legault looks at Heath then back at me. "Did you two get in a fight of some kind?" he asks as a smirk appears on his face.

I look back at him shaking my head. "I-I just need to get sp-space." I say quickly.

Legault lets go of my arm. Yes, now I can-

"Hello." Heath says.

I shut my eyes tightly. Dang it. Why, Legault, why?

"Hello, there." Legault returns.

I slowly turn to face the wyvern rider. I clench my hands together to control my nerves. Be strong, Luna. He is just a person like you. He is on your side. He can't hurt you and he doesn't have his wyvern. It should be ok. I simply nod at him not making eye contact.

"Is something wrong?" Heath asks me. "You look pale."

You're a wyvern rider. That's the problem. "I'm fine." I reply.

His hand presses against my forehead. My eyes widen very largely. I take a huge step back. I turn around and sprint away.

"Hey!" Heath calls out to me.

I don't dare to turn around or look back. I just keep running until I feel safe. I don't know where I am. I know I'm in the fortress but that's it. I lean against a wall. I hope I can find someone to talk to. I need to be distracted from my thoughts. Please, somebody, come. I don't like being alone. That's when my thoughts make me feel worse. I close my eyes tightly. Please!

"Luna!" a girl exclaims.

I look up in surprise to see it is Serra. "H-Hi?" I say/ask.

"You're just who I wanted to talk to!" she exclaims.

Before I can open my mouth she starts rambling on. I nod at the appropriate times and try to follow what she is saying. I think she was complaining about not getting enough time to go shopping. That there wasn't enough free time just to have fun. She was thinking about complaining to Mark about the problem.

I'm glad Serra came along. I am starting to feel better. Slowly, I forget about my fears. I forget for the moment about the green wyvern and the rider named Heath.

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><p><strong>This chapter felt short for me but, then again, I liked it. Sorry if Luna sounded too emotional or was too fearful. I mean, you can't really blame her. She REALLY fears wyvernsdragons because of her childhood. I promise things will tone down slightly but this is an important factor to the story. You will see as the story continues on and reaches closer and closer to the ending. While you all wait, let me thank the following reviewers! :D**

_**Meru-64 (Thanks, always. You are always there for me and that makes me super greatful. ^_^)**_

_**patattack (Thanks for the review. I'm glad I can rely on you for help whenever I find myself in a tight spot. :D)**_

_**SuperNova23 (I'm glad you were able to catch up! I need to find time to catch up on your fanfic, too. ^^')**_

_**Hyralc (I'm sorry if the last chapter was strange/confussing for you. I wasn't really into the last one but I do hope that this one turned out better. :) )**_

**Well, that's it. I hope to see all of my readers and/or reviewers next Saturday! ^_^ This is the first chapter I've written since I've turned 16 earlier this week. XD Not a huge deal but, at the same time, it is. I've been on this site for a while and I am proud of it. Thanks to all for the support! :D**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello, everyone! It's 10 o'clock at night so I'm sorry I am posting this at a late time! On Thursday my friends and I hung out and somehow we had a sleepover at one of their houses. Then on Friday I got home in the late afternoon and a friend picked me up for a concert with Manchester Orchestra, My Chemical Romance, and Blink 182 in it! It was amazing, btw! XD I never really listened to any of them before but they were awesome live and they have officially gained a new fan! XD Alright, so, let's get started with this (very long) chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or characters. Just my OC. Have fun reading! :D**

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><p><span>Chapter 14:<span>

For some reason the Marquess of Ostia asked us to go down to the Nabata desert. I have no idea why we should come here if Bern is in the other direction. But, we are almost there. I have caught up with Rath a bit and that makes me happy. We didn't have much of a conversation but I expected as much. I mean, it is Rath we are talking about.

I also have been able to avoid Heath affectively. Whenever I see him I leave and go to another area for a while. If he walks in my direction I either run away or past him not giving him a chance to say anything to me. It may seem childish but that is the only way I can stay comfortable within the group without making it seem like I'm losing my mind.

"…So hot." I hear Nils. "I'm… going to die."

I don't blame him. It is blazing hot. My hair is fizzy and not pretty looking so I have tied it up in a bun. It will keep it off of my neck for a while. I just hope I don't get sunburn. Those are not fun.

"Hey, do you want me to carry you on my back?" Lord Hector asks.

I look at him a bit surprised and so does Nils. It's not like Lord Hector to be this nice. It's a good change but, I'm wondering if the sun is getting to him. He is wearing all of that heavy armor so he has it bad along with some other heavily armored people. Like poor Oswin!

"Huh?" Nils asks.

Lord Hector glares at the kid. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Nils shakes his head. "Such kindness from you surprised me, Lord Hector. Is this some fever dream?"

Lord Hector gets mad. "What's that supposed to mean? I was concerned that you might collapse again, like the other day."

I start laughing. Lady Lyn, who has been walking by me for a while, laughs softly.

"You're usually so brusque." She says to the lord. "It's no wonder he's confused." Lord Hector glares at Lady Lyn but she brushes it off. She kindly looks at Nils. "Don't be shy, Nils. Let him help you out."

Nils pauses looking at her. He looks at me briefly and I nod. He then looks at Lord Hector. "But…"

"Do as you're told, boy!" Lord Hector yells.

It makes me jump along with Nils. Lord Hector picks Nils up and places him on his shoulders.

"Waaa!" Nils exclaims. He starts wobbling. "Waaaaaaaaaaaaa!" I start laughing again and so does Lady Lyn. "I'm going to fall! I'm going to fall!"

To my surprise, I see Lord Hector smiling, too. I step behind Lord Hector and help him balance Nils. Nils looks down at me and smiles gratefully. Once he is balanced I return to my spot by Lady Lyn.

I look behind me to see Lord Eliwood and Ninian walking close together. I smile. Those two look perfect together. They are talking. And then I see Ninian taking Lord Eliwood's arm looking apologetic. I smirk. Yep, definitely perfect together.

"Oh, Luna." Lady Lyn says.

I turn to her. "What is it?"

"Do you mind if I go walk by Rath?"

I shake my head smiling. "Go ahead."

She smiles back. "Thank you."

Lady Lyn walks back and I watch as she takes her place by Rath. She starts talking to him and he turns his head towards her to listen. I smile. There is another example of two people looking perfect together. I sigh as I keep walking forward. I don't have a guy like that. It's alright, however. It's not like I'm desperate for a guy. I just want to be me and let life take its course. Whatever is meant to happen will happen. That's what I believe, anyway.

"Luna."

I look next to me and smile. "Hi, Mark."

"Are you alright?" he asks. "You look tired."

I shake my head smiling. "Maybe a little light headed but that is normal, right? We are in a desert after all. The sun is not going to be friendly to us." I laugh softly.

My brother smiles a bit weakly. He takes off his cloak and places it on me pulling up the hood. My eyes widen. It is warm but at least the rays are off me. I turn to him.

"This should help." Mark says.

"You don't have to do this." I say. "I'm fine. I'm worried about you."

He smiles wider. "I'm fine. I'm more used to traveling then you are." He sighs. "You are my younger sister so I have to take care of you. Mom and dad would want that."

I smile sadly. "It's been a while since you and I have seen them." I comment.

He nods. "When this is over, let's go see them."

My eyes widen. "Really?" I ask happily. "It would be nice if we could see them together!"

Mark laughs. "It would."

"Ah!" Lord Hector exclaims. We both turn towards him. "That must be him!"

We both turn towards where he is looking to see a man surrounded by a bunch of others. This can't be good…

"Looks like… a lone man and a crowd of bandits." Lord Hector says.

"Let's help him!" Lady Lyn exclaims. "I dislike seeing someone facing overwhelming odds!"

She runs ahead. My eyes widen.

"Hold on, Lyn! I'm going with you!" Lord Hector yells chasing after her.

Why are those two always running ahead? I sigh.

"Hey, you two!" Lord Eliwood yells at them.

"Where do they get all that energy?" Nils asks. "Unbelievable."

Oh, he must have gotten off of Lord Hector's shoulders. I wonder when that happened. I didn't notice.

"…What will you do?" Ninian asks.

"Let's go!" Lord Eliwood replies. "Have to keep up with one's friends, right?"

Mark runs off after the two without a word. He probably needs to bring them back in order to make a proper strategy. I sigh heavily. I should give my brother his green cloak back soon. If I am going to fight I don't want to ruin it. As far as I know this is the only one he has. Mark shortly returns with the lords and starts talking with all three of them. I go to listen when Canas coming in my direction.

"Actually, this is quite fascinating." He says to himself. I look at him in confusion. He spots me and walks over to me. "Luna, the Nabata wasteland is a bit of a paradise to magic adepts."

My eyes widen slightly. "Oh, really?" I ask.

Canas nods smiling. "Stories tell of the many magical artifacts lost in these sands. I'll keep my eyes open. Of course, I'll be fighting as well."

I giggle softly. "Okay. You better be careful."

He smiles wider. "I will."

He goes off. Soon, everyone including me is ready to fight. My brother wants me to run down to the house along with Lord Eliwood, Florina, Lord Hector, and Ninian. When I had my little group together we went down.

An archer attempted to shoot an arrow at Florina but Lord Eliwood ran up and attacked him. Ninian stayed back so she wouldn't get attacked. I see a mage ahead so I go to fire my arrow. It scratches his shoulder. Florina flies at him and stabs him with her lance. That's it for him.

I spot the house and run up to it. When I knock at the door a little kid answers it.

"Hello." I say smiling.

"Oh, hello!" the kid says. "You know what? I'm watching the house all by myself." I nod being patient and listening. "Do you know how to do that?" I shake my head. The kid smiles. "You have to sit and be good. So that's why I'm here."

"Oh, okay." I respond kindly.

"What are all of you guys doing?" the kid asks. "Are you hunting for treasure, like that other guy?"

I look at the kid confused. I wonder who the other guy is. The one being attacked by bandits? "Um… sort of." I reply.

The kid looks around before motioning for me to come closer. I lean forward. Quietly, the kid says. "Let me tell you a secret. There's something good buried near the bones." The kid smiles widely. "I know stuff like that."

I stand up straight smiling. "Thank you. I'll keep that info in mind." I wave. "Bye, now."

"Bye, lady." The kid returns waving.

I giggle before leaving the house. That's when I notice it's just Ninian and I together. I look around confused.

"Where are the others?" I ask.

"They went ahead." Ninian replies. "I wanted to make sure you weren't alone so Lord Eliwood let me stay behind."

I nod smiling. "Thanks, Ninian. I'll make sure to protect you."

She smiles back. "Thank you, Luna."

I pause for a moment. "I think we should head back to where everyone else is. It will be safer that way. I can't protect you if an enemy is too close to us."

"I understand." Ninian says. "Let's go, then."

We start running up. We didn't get far when I see a mage. He is a lot closer then comfort. I shoot but I miss. For some reason Ninian wasn't paying attention and was still running. The mage notices this and starts to read a spell aiming at her.

My eyes widen. "Ninian! Stop!" I yell at her.

She stops looking surprised. She sees the mage and she becomes pale. I sprint forward over towards her. The mage is still reading the spell book. I'm almost there. Just a little closer. The fire ball is shot at her. I jump in front of her and the fire ball hits me directly in the chest. I yell out in pain as I hit the ground.

"Luna!" Ninian exclaims.

"St-Stay back." I stutter out.

I stand up and aim an arrow at the mage. It hurts a lot but I shoot the arrow anyway. Lucky for me he doesn't dodge fast enough and it goes right through his chest. He falls back as he yells out in pain. Afterwards he doesn't move. I fall on my knees.

"Luna!" Ninian exclaims kneeling next to me. "I-I'm so sorry!"

I look at her. She looks so sad and pale. I smile through the pain. "I-It's okay. I'm j-just glad… you are not… h-hurt."

Ninian looks around in panic. "Somebody, please hurry!" she yells. "Luna needs help!"

That's when I hear the flapping of wings. There is a loud thud near us. I turn to see it is a wyvern. Oh, please, no. I have no strength to attack. Wait… the wyvern is green. And the rider is running towards us. Is that… Heath?

"Please help!" Ninian exclaims. "Luna is hurt badly!"

That's when I feel myself get picked up bridal style. I gasp as Ninian stands up. I feel myself growing pale. No! He's a wyvern rider! I'm scared! I'm really scared! I don't think I can handle this!

"P-Put me d-down." I say weakly.

"Shut up." He says darkly. My eyes widen. "Just shut up and don't move."

I close my mouth. I look up at him. I see anger and what looks like pain within his eyes. He starts jogging towards the wyvern and mounts it being careful with me.

"Ninian!" I hear Lord Eliwood exclaim. "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine." Ninian says. "It's Luna that is hurt."

I can't hear anything else because that's when Heath's wyvern starts flapping its wings and flies into the sky. My heart beats very quickly but I try to stay calm. Moving hurts very much due to the injury on my chest. My vision becomes blurry and my eyes feel heavy.

"Stay awake." I hear Heath say. "We are almost there."

I blink a few times and look up at him. He is still looking forward. He is glaring with determination. Why is he so panicked? I've been avoiding him. I thought he wouldn't care if I got hurt. This seems so strange.

We land and Heath climbs off the wyvern with me still in his arms. His arms feel strong. Isn't he getting tired of holding me? He walks forward. He trips a bit but still stands. The sudden movement makes me wince in pain.

"Sorry." Heath says gently.

My eyes widen slightly. He sounds so kind now.

"Heath?" Serra asks. She gasps looking at me. "Oh my goodness!" Serra exclaims. "Luna!"

"Can you please heal her?" Heath asks. "She looks like she is in a lot of pain."

"Of course I can!" Serra exclaims in a bit of a scolding way. "I'm a cleric! It's my job to!"

I giggle but the effort to make the sound hurts my chest making me wince. Heath kneels on the ground placing my head on his lap. He then removes the armor on my chest making the wound more visible.

"Luna, we are going to have to get you a new shirt. Yours looks ugly now." Serra says.

I giggle even though it hurts. "Okay, Serra."

She smiles sweetly as she starts to use the healing staff. I close my eyes as I feel the magic start to take effect. The pain lessens slowly but surely. When I feel better that's when I stop feeling the healing. I open my eyes.

"How are you feeling?" Serra asks.

"Better." I say softly.

I hear Heath sigh with relief. Serra smiles. "That's good." She says. "Let's get you a different shirt, okay?"

I nod. She leaves towards Merlinus's tent. I sit up slowly with the help of Heath.

"Be careful." He warns.

"I'm fine now." I say.

I take the long sleeves off. They are useless now. I also take off my brother's cloak. I examine it quickly. I sigh with relief as I see there is no damage to it at all. The only problem is my shirt. It is damaged, torn, and burnt. Serra runs back holding a whole new set of clothing.

"Serra…" I say. "I just need a new top."

"There is nothing that matches your skirt." She says. "So you are going to have to change completely."

I sigh heavily. "Alright."

Heath helps me stand up. I'm still hurting but it is more of a sore feeling then really bad pain. He leads me to the tent. Once I am there he stays outside and Serra helps me inside. I take off my shirt. Serra wraps bandages around the area.

"To keep it safe." Serra simply says.

I nod. Once she is done I put on the red, short sleeved shirt and black shorts. She finds replacement armor for me and helps me put that on.

"You can come in now." Serra says.

I look at her confused. Then it goes away as Heath steps into the tent hesitantly. I didn't know he was waiting outside. I thought he would have left already.

"If you two will excuse me I have to return outside so I can heal the others." She says quickly. "Priscilla can't do it all by herself." She winks at me. "Bye."

I open my mouth to stop her but Serra exits the tent too quickly. I sigh. I turn to Heath and I feel the fear set in. Crap. I am alone in the tent with him. I can't run or hide anywhere. I am forced to talk to him. Did Serra do this on purpose? I'm going to have a serious talk with her later.

"Why do you keep running from me?" he asks.

"Wh-What do you mean?" I ask. Playing dumb isn't going to work but I try anyway.

"You have been avoiding me ever since I joined the group." He says. "Why? Did I do something wrong? Did I say something insulting? I'm I ugly or something?"

My eyes widen. "It's not that! You are definitely not ugly! In fact, you're-" I cover my mouth before anything else can be said.

My face feels very warm. Crap! I almost told him something very embarrassing! That would have been really bad if I blurted all my thoughts out.

"Then why?" he asks.

My heart skips. He looks so sad. I should tell him. I really should. But I am THAT scared. What is wrong with me? I uncover my mouth and take a deep breath.

"I'm scared." I say. "I'm scared of wyvern riders." Heath's eyes widen. Tears form in my eyes. "Ever since I was little they have scared me to death. That's why I've been avoiding you." I close my eyes. "I'm sorry! I know it was wrong, but I-"

I feel arms wrap around me and my eyes widen. I see his dark blue armor and it feels warm from the sun. So he is that much taller than me. I haven't noticed until now since I was too busy trying to stay away from him.

"I'm sorry." Heath says. "I'm on your side so you don't have to be scared. Can you please trust me?"

A tear slips down my cheek. "O-Okay." I stutter out.

He let's go of me and smiles kindly. "We better rejoin with the others."

I blush. "R-Right."

Heath exits the tent and I follow being mindful of my bandages. I see him mount his wyvern. He looks at me for a few moments. I wave at him letting him know he can go on ahead. He takes off into the sky.

"Luna!" a voice calls.

I look to see its Matthew holding my bow and quiver. I was wondering where those disappeared to. I must have left them on the ground when Heath picked me up. I wonder why Matthew has it now, though.

"Are you alright?" he asks worriedly.

I smile. "I'm fine. Where are the others?" I ask.

"They are fighting the last leader along with an enemy wyvern rider."

I nod taking my stuff back. I carefully strap my quiver back on. Lucky it doesn't hurt my injury or mess with the bandages. I grip my bow tightly.

"I better go help." I say.

"What?" Matthew asks. "You shouldn't! You just got attacked! You are still hurt!"

"I'm fine." I say. "I can't stay weak forever."

"You are not weak." He scolds. "You are temporarily injured. You don't have to fight."

I sigh. "Can I at least catch up with the rest? I'm sure they are almost finished by now."

Matthew looks me over. He sighs in defeat. "Fine." He points at me. "No fighting!"

I smile. "Thank you, Matthew."

He nods. We then walk forward to join up with the group. He stays close to me and looks around. He sure is cautious now. I feel like I have a personal bodyguard or something like that. I hide the giggle. Then I become worried. Mark is probably going to scold me. He is going to get mad and start babying me.

"There they are." I say pointing.

I watch as the last enemy in sight is defeated. Then everyone settles as the lone man walks up to Lord Eliwood. Matthew and I hurry up ahead so we can hear their discussion.

"You really helped me out. Thank you." The man says.

"We couldn't watch such a lopsided battle. That's all." Lord Eliwood replies.

I stand by Mark silently.

"So why have you come to this wasteland?" the man asks.

"Well…" The lord pauses. "We were told to come here and meet a living legend."

"Living Legend?" he repeats confused. I then watch as his eyes grow wide and he starts laughing. "I see. That's well said."

Lady Lyn looks at him confused. "But do you know what it means?"

"Yes, I suppose I do." He becomes serious once more. "Looks like we share a common destination. Hawkeye! You're here, too."

That's when I see a very large man with blond hair in a pony tail and a large axe. He doesn't wear a shirt and has but he does have tattoos. My eyes grow wide. He is so large and scary looking! No one would want to mess with him, that's for sure! Since when did he appear? I haven't seen him at all!

"Pent, did you find it?" Hawkeye asks.

"That I did." Pent replies. "And as I thought, it's spectacular."

He nods. "It's getting dark. Let's go back."

"Yes, let's make haste." Pent looks at Lord Eliwood. "Desert nights are treacherous."

"Oh… okay." Lord Eliwood replies.

Pent and Hawkeye lead the way and the rest of us follow behind. Mark looks at me.

"You scared me." He says. I look at him carefully. "When I heard you got hurt I feared the worst. Are you truly alright? I don't want you lying to me."

I smile. "I promise you that I am fine." I reply in order to comfort him. I then notice he is now wearing the cloak. I smile. "I'm glad you got it back. I was afraid it got damaged."

He chuckles. "Yes, it's fine. You need to worry more about yourself then a silly old cloak like this."

"I would have felt bad if it was damaged." I say pouting.

Mark turns serious. "I would have felt worse if you were seriously hurt or, I dare say, dead."

I smile patting his arm. "I'm not going to die anytime soon."

He sighs. "I believe in you."

I take a weird step on the sand making me wince. Sudden movements still hurt my injury. He looks at me worriedly.

"Maybe you shouldn't walk." He suggests.

"I'm fine." I reply quickly.

"Oh, fair Luna!" Sain says exaggeratingly from behind me. I turn around surprised. "Allow me to serve you by letting you ride my steed!"

I sweat drop slides down the side of my face as I look at him. "I-I'm okay, really." I stutter unsure.

"Nonsense." He says still smiling.

He picks me up suddenly so I gasp as he places me on his horse. He pulls on the reigns and guides it forward. I stare at Sain to see he is beaming. Why do I have a feeling he enjoys this way too much…?

_**(Later)**_

"I've brought them." Hawkeye says to an old man.

He has long white hair and beard and is wearing blue clothing. He is also holding an old looking brown staff. Looking at him I see he is a very wise person with much knowledge. Something about him also seems sad, however. Like a hidden pain inside of him that just won't go away.

"Welcome, children of Roland." He says.

I look at him confused.

"We've come from Lycia, old man. Do you understand?" Lord Hector asks.

I glare at him. "That's rude." I say to him.

He glares back at me.

"What do you mean?" Lady Lyn asks him.

"I think I know." Lord Eliwood says. "Thousands of years ago, man and dragon fought on this continent."

"Yes, mankind won, and the dragons fled this world." Lady Lyn says.

"That's correct." Lord Eliwood continues, "Man against dragon… The war that we know as the Scouring. And you know of the Eight Legends, the heroes who led man to victory?"

"Yes, we've all heard of the stories of the Eight Legends." Lady Lyn says. "I was raised in Sacae, so I know of Hanon, the horseman."

"Sacae is where Hanon was born." Lord Hector says. "Our country, Lycia, was founded by the hero Roland."

"That's why you called us 'children of Roland', right?" Lady Lyn asks the old man.

"That is correct, daughter of Hanon and Roland." The man replies.

Lord Eliwood asks, "Who are you?"

"I am Athos." He replies. "Many choose simply to call me Archsage."

My eyes widen.

"Athos?" Lord Eliwood exclaims. "It can't be…"

"Huh? What?" Lady Lyn exclaims.

Lord Hector looks at the man with doubt written on his face. "Archsage Athos was one of the Eight Legends. If you really were him, old man… you'd have to be over a thousand years old."

"The world is full of mysteries." Athos says. "Solve one, and along comes another… Before I knew it, I'd grown distant from my fellow man. Hunger… It knows no bounds."

My eyes widen even more. That sounds so sad. I can't imagine living as long as he has so far. It's incredible… It's seems so unreal.

Lady Lyn says, "A thousand years… That's a long time."

"Yet thanks to such longevity, we're meeting here today." Lord Eliwood says.

I look at him. That is very well said, Lord Eliwood. Very well said.

"Living legend…" Lord Hector says. "Now I see it."

It does make sense. I look next to me to see Mark looking at Athos with much amazement. Knowing him, he is probably going to want to ask questions. Hm… I wonder about Canas. He is the one that travels around for knowledge.

Athos asks, "You're here because you want to stop Nergal, aren't you?"

"Yes." Lord Eliwood replies. "Did you receive word from Marquess Ostia?"

"No…" Athos pauses. "I am aware of most things that occur on the continent." He closes his eyes. "However, knowledge is not enough for me to prevent disaster."

"Nils said something similar to that before." Lady Lyn says. She then quotes him, "With my special power, I can sense danger coming, but I can't do anything to stop it."

Athos looks at her. "Nils… One of the children of destiny."

"He's here with us, but something outside caught his attention." Lady Lyn explains.

Athos pauses not really looking at anyone. "I'm sure something stopped him…"

I look at him confused. What would stop Nils from entering? Ninian, too… Is there something that I don't know about but Athos does? I'm very curious now.

"Hm?" Lord Eliwood asks.

"Let's talk about Nergal." Athos says quickly. "How do we stop him?"

Lord Eliwood shakes his head quickly. "Yes, what can you tell us? What wisdom can you share?"

"Mm." Athos says nodding. "Your foe is, like me, no longer… altogether human. It will be difficult to slay him through traditional means." My eyes widen. This doesn't sound very good. "He wields a terrible power. His endless strength stems from an ancient, forbidden magic… To defeat him, you will need a suitable response."

"Response?" Lord Eliwood asks.

"…While he is resting, you must find the power to oppose him." Athos continues explaining.

"Tell us what it is! We'll do anything!" Lord Eliwood exclaims.

I look at him with amazement. I can understand the seriousness of the situation but I never thought how serious the lord was taking this. Well, we all have to take this seriously. Nergal is trying to bring dragons around. That CAN'T be good at all.

"It will be harder than you can imagine." Athos says. "Great trials await you. …As does great despair. You may regret your decision. Will you stay the course, children?"

The lord pauses. "Our will remains fixed."

Athos warns, "This is a road from which you cannot turn back."

Lord Hector glares at the old man. "We've known that all along!"

"We can overcome anything. You'll see." Lady Lyn adds. "Together, we are strong."

I smile at her. She does always seem to say the right things. She helps things feel positive. I know she has helped me out quite a bit whenever I needed it.

Athos looks at all of them including my brother and I before sighing. "Very well. Let me tell you what you must do."

"Luna." Mark whispers to me.

I turn to him. "Yes?" I ask.

"You've been wobbling the whole time we've been standing here. You should go sit down somewhere."

I pout at him. "I'm not a child. I'm fine."

"Please, Luna." He says. "I'm saying this 'because I am worried, not because I'm babying you."

I sigh quietly. "Okay. Just fill me in later, alright?"

He nods. I walk away finding somewhere to sit. I spot a pair of stairs and sit. I'm just glad the bandages are still tightly in place. I don't want Serra getting mad at me about ruining them and having to get them fixed again. She is definitely the type of person to scold me about that. I smile. If it wasn't for her, however, I would have been in trouble. I should thank her. I should probably thank Heath, too.

"O-Oh, Luna."

I look up to see Florina looking at me. I smile. "Hi. Want to sit with me?"

She nods and takes her spot next to me. "How are you feeling?" she asks.

"I'm getting better." I tell her.

Florina smiles softly. "That is good news."

"However, my hair is a mess." I say laughing softly.

She giggles. "If you want, I can help fix it once we have a chance to."

I smile widely. "I would love it if you could. We could talk, too."

Florina nods. "Luna…" I wait patiently wait for her to speak. "I-I like talking t-to you. I-It helps me c-calm my nerves. I a-also miss home a bit less. Thank you for that."

I smile patting her back. "I'm glad. You help me out, too." Her eyes widen slightly. "I feel like I can tell you anything without worries of you scolding me or disapproving." She blushes. "Thank you."

She smiles. "You're welcome."

I giggle. "We sound a bit silly, don't we? It's like we are confessing our feelings or something."

She giggles along with me. "It is strange."

A shadow falls over us. I look up to see Hawkeye standing in front of us. Since I am sitting it looks like he is a giant. I look next to me to see Florina has grown pale. I nudge her with my elbow.

"You are to gather in the plaza." He says.

I gulp. "Th-Thanks." I stutter.

He silently leaves. Florina and I both stand up. She sighs with relief. "H-He is scary." She says.

I laugh. "Yeah, he is."

Florina smiles at me. We both make our way to the plaza where everyone else is at. I can see Athos is talking to Lord Eliwood. I say bye to Florina before I make my way over to Mark's side.

"The border lies in the mountains." I hear Lord Eliwood say.

"Very good." Athos says. "Now please envision a nice, wide place in Pherae… Next, think of the name of a person you might meet there."

"As you say." Lord Eliwood closes his eyes.

"Now, children of Roland, it is time to say farewell." He says to everyone. "You must reach the Shrine of Seals. There your destinies' doors will open wide before you."

Something strange starts to happen. The scene around us starts to vanish. I get light-headed. Mark hugs me close to him and I shut my eyes tightly. In a matter of moments my headache goes away.

"Mother! I'm home! I've returned!" Lord Eliwood exclaims.

Huh? What did he just say? I open my eyes and gasp. We are no longer in the plaza with Athos. We are now in a large castle that looks gorgeous and well designed. Did Athos really send us here? That's amazing!

"Ah! Eliwood!" A woman exclaims. I look to see a very beautiful woman with long purple hair. "Is it really you? Oh, how did you… You startled me so!"

"Forgive me, Mother. The Archsage sent us." He explains.

"You look so tired." She pauses looking him over. "Have you lost weight? Oh, come closer and let me see your face."

She steps closer and looks at Lord Eliwood closer. She places her hands gently on his cheeks.

"Mother, about Father…" Lord Eliwood says sadly.

His mom removes her hands from him. "I heard his last moments were glorious. Though he's gone, he will ever be my life's joy."

I look at her sadly. I feel so sorry for her. She must have been really sad when she heard about her husband's death.

"I know." The lord replies.

"Come… Let us make everyone comfortable." She says. She looks over the group. "You all look in need of a rest."

"I'm sorry, Mother. We must hurry onward…"

"I know that!" She says quickly. She then looks very sad as if begging to Lord Eliwood. I don't blame her, either. "But for one night… here in the castle… Eliwood… just for tonight."

"Mother…" he says slowly looking pained.

"One night's not going to hurt us." Lord Hector cuts in. "Who knows when we'll be back this way?"

"Yes, let's do it. I am so exhausted." Lady Lyn adds in.

Lord Eliwood looks at the two of them. "Hector, Lyn…" He smiles. "Thank you."

I lean against Mark feeling my legs fail me. He holds me tightly. "Luna?"

Lord Eliwood's mother walks over to me looking worried. "You poor child… Let's get the rooms set up quickly so you may rest."

I smile up at her. "Thank you." I say politely.

"Rath." Lady Lyn says to the nomad. "You should carry her."

He nods and walks over to my brother and I. He takes me from Mark and carries me. He then walks down the hallway following the very kind lady.

"I'm sorry, Rath." I say to him. He glances down at me. "I always seem to need help from others."

"It's okay." He says. "You fought hard today."

I smile. "It feels like the old days, right?"

He nods. Lord Eliwood's mom shows us the room and opens the door for Rath. He carries me in and places me gently on the bed. Mark is right there sitting on the edge of the bed looking down at me.

"Thank you, Rath." I say to him.

The nomad nods before leaving the room. Mark takes my hand. I smile looking up at him. Like when we were little… I close my eyes feeling the weight of the day finally hit me. I feel myself drift away. I should be strong by tomorrow. For tonight, however, I need rest.

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><p><strong>So, how was the long chapter? Was it good? Well, review me and tell me what you think! Come on, don't be shy! The button doesn't shock you or anything! When I reply to them I am very nice, I promise! No matter if you are mean, critical, or whatever in the review I reply with a positive attitude. :) So... let me thank the following people for reviewing the last chapter:<strong>

**_Meru-64 (Don't get shot too much, alright! It can't be healthy. XD)_**

**_Hyralc (I hope Heath was good in this chapter, too! He is an awesome character so hopefully I showed him justice. X) )_**

**_SuperNova23 (I know you have been looking forward to this chapter since we have messaged a bit so sorry this is late! X( Hope you still like it! ;D)_**

**_patattack (I hope this chapter was nice and good. It was long so I'm hoping it was worth working on it all day today! XD)_**

**Well, that's it! I hope you all have a wonderful evening (or whatever time of the day you are reading this) and can't wait to see you all next Saturday with the next chapter! :D I promise I won't procrastinate (or, at least, try not to)! ^_^'_  
><em>**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hello, people! It is 10:30 at night but still a Saturday so this is not late! It does seem a bit last-minute but at least it is posted! :D But, seriously, I am dead beat tired. XP You guys go ahead and read the chapter while I regain my energy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or characters. I own Luna.  
><strong>

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><p><span>Chapter 15:<span>

I sit up panicking. Another nightmare… Even though I told Heath I would trust him I am still scared. The nightmares are not as bad but this time I thought the wyvern was going to eat me. I wipe my eyes. It's very dark so it must be the middle of the night.

Bare foot and in my black night gown I walk out of the room. Everyone else must be fast asleep except for me. I wander around the castle halls trying to find a way to pass the time. I have a feeling I won't be able to fall asleep tonight.

Amazingly, I find myself outside in what I assume to be the courtyard. I turn to the sky. It's a crescent moon tonight along with a million stars in the sky. I smile feeling the stress melt away.

"Beautiful." I whisper.

A large crash makes me jump. My eyes grow wide as I look towards the back of the courtyard. There is a path that leads to the storage room. I jog up to the building passing colorful flowers along the way. When I reach the door I stop. What if it's a thief? I could be in trouble. I gulp before opening the large door. It's dark so all I see are shadows. Well, except for the large hole on the side of the building.

I locate a lamp and light it up. That's when I see the large wyvern rummaging through the supplies. My breath catches and my body freezes. The wyvern also freezes before turning to me. It drops a wooden box that was in its mouth. My eyes widen as it crashes to the ground.

He starts stepping over towards me. My heart beat quickens with each step it makes. Why can't I move? Come on legs, work! I shut my eyes tightly. Wyvern, wyvern, go away! Please don't think about eating me!

_Sniff._ I open my eyes. The wyvern is… smelling me? Then the wyvern places its large cheek by my head… in an affectionate way? I slowly place my hand on the cheek taking a step away. The wyvern glances at me and I quickly remove my hand.

"Well, this is amusing." A familiar voice says.

I spin towards the entrance to see Legault slouching against the wall, arm crossed, and a smirk clearly on his face. My eyes widen.

"Legault?" I exclaim.

He puts his hand up in greeting. "Yoh."

"P-Please help me!" I say quickly.

His smirk grows. "Why? It's very entertaining to watch this."

"_Please!_" I beg. "I'm _really _scared!"

His smirk falters and his eyes widen. Legault stands up straight regaining his composure. He walks towards me. The wyvern growls making me jump.

"Eep!" I exclaim.

Legault smirks. "Looks like a certain wyvern doesn't take a liking to me."

I turn to look at the wyvern and it is glaring at Legault. This is very strange… I turn back to the thief worry clearly on my face. He smiles gently at me making me surprised.

"Just wait. I'll be right back." He says.

Before I could stop him he vanishes out the building. I stand there feeling scared. I walk forward to see if I can leave myself. The wyvern moves to stand in my way. My eyes widen. Is this wyvern holding me hostage? Its head leans towards me and I flinch. I hold my hand out to stop it and it rests above its nose. The wyvern's golden eyes look at me making me shiver. I quickly remove my hand.

The wyvern lies down still keeping its eyes on me. I take a few steps back before I sit down as well. I bend my legs and hug them close to my chest. I hide my face in my knees. Trust me when I say I am terrified. The strange thing, however, is the fact that I'm not completely troubled by this. I mean, this might help me be a little braver around wyverns. Or, then again, this could scare me more and bring worse nightmares for the nights to come. All I can do it attempt to calm myself down as I wait for Legault. What is he doing, anyway?

I look up and notice that the wyvern is much closer to me now than it was a few moments before. It must have been inching forward while my mind was wondering off. How do I know its closer? Well, the fact that it's head is now right at my feet. On the inside my heart is pounding. On the outside I am blankly staring at the wyvern. Its eyes are now closed.

"Hyperion!" I hear someone exclaim.

It turns to look at the person. It stands up looking happy. I look around the wyvern to see it is Heath standing by the entrance. Legault slips past the wyvern and is now in front of me. He grabs my arms and pulls me up.

"I told you I would be back." Legault says smirking the usual smirk.

I smile happily.

"What have you done to the supplies?" Heath exclaims. He definitely doesn't look happy as he glares at his wyvern. He sees the whole in the building and gasps. "Oh, boy." He lets out smacking his forehead. "What am I going to do?"

"You can act like nothing happened." Legault says.

Heath looks at him bewildered. "How am I to do that?" he exclaims. "There is a huge hole in the wall!" he yells pointing to it.

Legault shrugs. "Just say you don't know anything. If no one knows what happened, it will blow over."

My eyes grow wide along with Heath's. I have a feeling that isn't going to happen. Heath whispers some things to the wyvern Hyperion and leads him outside. I guess he is going to put in back in the stable along with the others' rides.

"U-Um…" I say. Legault turns to me. "Th-Thank you."

He smiles. "No problem." He then smirks with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Heath's reaction was funny when I woke him up."

My eyes widen. "H-How did you…?"

"I poured a bucket of water on him." He says simply.

I gasp. "Eh? You did what?"

Legault laughs. "You should have seen his face!" he continues.

I continue to stare at him with bewilderment. I feel so bad. Because of my carelessness and my fear I had to bother Legault. And because of that Heath got involved, too. I sigh heavily looking at the ground. I'm nothing but trouble to the people around me. I always find myself in trouble and need everyone else to help me. I need to fix this problem. Stop being defended and start defending others. I feel a hand on the top of my head. My eyes widen and I look up. Legault looks at me with genuine sympathy. Huh?

"It's alright." He says. "You needed help. Heath understands that. Don't beat yourself down over it."

Slowly, I smile. "I'll try."

Legault smirks ruffling my hair. "You're a good kid."

He removes his hand. By the entrance I hear a heavy sigh. Legault and I both look to see its Heath walking over towards us. He looks tired and frustrated. He turns to glare at Legault.

"Don't ever pour water on me again." He says.

Legault smirks. "Oh, so I have to use other means to wake you up?"

"Just don't wake me up at all!" Heath exclaims.

Legault looks at me and then back at Heath. "What if it's an emergency?"

Heath pauses. He glances at me quickly before looking back at the mischievous thief. "Only then." He says.

Legault, looking satisfied, walks ahead. My eyes widen. "Wait up!" I say quickly.

I walk next to him. On the other side of him Heath is also walking with us. As we walk down the path that leads back into the castle I look up to the sky. For some reason I get a flash of Legault's surprised face. Then I get a flashback of when I first met him. I turn to look at him. He said something but I never got it explained. Should I ask him now? I look at the ground. No, maybe not. If I did Heath would be confused and would want to be let in, too. I don't think Legault would be happy with that.

"Is something wrong?" Heath asks.

I look at both guys to see them looking at me curiously. I blush smiling. "No, I'm fine."

"You sure?" he asks. "You look tired."

Legault yawns stretching his arms. "I know I am."

I giggle. It seems so rare to see him not acting so sneaky and just being normal. Like earlier…

"A thief needs his sleep." Legault jokingly says gently chopping my hand with his hand.

I laugh moving his hand away. "Hey! That doesn't mean you get to chop me."

"You laughed." He states.

"Sorry for being human?" I say/ask still smiling.

Legault chuckles. "Cute kid."

I glare at him. "I'm not a kid."

"To me you are." He returns smirking.

I punch his arm. "Can we just hurry to our rooms so we can sleep?"

Heath yawns and Legault smirks at him. "Sure. Before Mr. Pour-water-on-me passes out."

Heath glares at him. "Oh, be quiet."

I giggle. We are inside the castle. We walk down the hall until we reach my room. Mine is the closest, after all. Legault turns so he is facing both me and Heath.

"My room is up the stairs." He states. "I'll leave you two alone for now."

"Huh?" Heath asks.

"Eh?" I ask.

He winks. "Night."

Legault vanishes into the shadows within the hallway. It becomes silent as Heath and I just stand there next to each other. My heart pounds as I glance over at him. Without his armor on, his muscles are more apparent. I quickly look away. Stupid me, why do I care? Other guys in the group have muscles but I don't go staring at them.

"Geez." He mutters. "That guy…"

I giggle. "I guess I'm not the only with a thief problem." He turns to me confused. I shake my head. "Not important."

Heath nods. He turns to me. "I'm sorry Hyperion caused you problems. I hope you weren't too scared."

My eyes widen slightly. "I-It's alright." I say. "I was really scared, but I was lucky that you two were there for me."

He looks at the ground sadly. "Your fear of wyverns… I wonder…" I tilt my head to the side curiously. Is something on his mind? He smiles. "Night."

"Um… night." I say smiling slightly.

With that he quickly goes down the hallway. I sigh heavily. I can breathe again. I need to get over my fears of wyverns and the riders. Heath isn't a bad person. I want to believe that. The problem is that my nightmares interfere with that. I can never act normal around him or if wyverns are present.

I walk into the room and lie down on the bed. I definitely need to talk with Florina as soon as possible. I close my eyes. Oh, and I can't forget. I need to talk to Legault, too. I need to get the answer to my question soon. It's been bugging me for a while. My mind drifts off into sleep. I quickly think to myself, _'Please, let there be no more nightmares. At least for tonight.'_

_**(Much later)**_

My mind feels foggy. I feel like I am moving. Why is that? I also feel like I am not alone. How long have I been asleep? I slowly open my eyes to be greeted by the sun. I start rubbing my eyes.

"You're awake." A voice says.

I pause. Confused, I look up. It's Rath. My eyes widen and I finally understand what's going on. I'm riding on Rath's horse and Rath has been careful with me since my head was resting on his chest. I look back up at him.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"Bern." He answers while looking ahead.

"How come no one woke me up?" I ask.

"Mark's orders."

My eyes widen. "Mark?"

"Yes." I hear someone else say from next to us. I look at the ground to see Lady Lyn is walking next to us. She continues, "He thought you needed the sleep so he told everyone not to wake you."

"Why would he do that?" I ask.

She sighs before smiling up at me. "Mark has told me and the two other lords how you've been waking up earlier than normal." I look down at my lap. She laughs softly. "He looked so sad when he was carrying you bridal style Serra thought you were dead or something."

I look at her again. "Wait, what?" I exclaim.

Lady Lyn laughs some more waving her hand dismissively. "It's not important now, is it?"

My eyes stay wide as I watch her continue to walk. Then something occurs to me about what she said. "He looked sad?" I ask.

She nods. "He is really worried about you. These past few days haven't been your best days and he has noticed this." She then smiles. "He would freak out while you weren't looking."

I place my hands on my lap and look at them. So he has been worried. What should I do? If I don't get over my fears I will just keep making him worried. I clench my fists. That's it. I'm going to try my best to not be scared of wyverns and their riders! I'll try my best to shoot down enemy ones and try to talk normally to the ones on my side.

I blink a few times. I look at Lady Lyn. "Are we close to stopping somewhere?"

She looks at me curiously. "I think so. Why?"

I smile scratching the back of my head nervously. "I'm still in my nightgown and I have no clue where my boots or my stuff are."

_**(Later)**_

"…Incredible." I hear Lord Eliwood say. "Even in a remote village like this, they've heard announcements for the prince's coming-of-age ceremony."

"Well, Prince Zephiel's ceremony is only ten days away." Lady Lyn says. "There's no helping all the excitement."

"They've no idea what's happening… Carefree fools." Lord Hector comments glaring angrily.

We have stopped by a town in Bern and everyone is gathered. I am changed and off of Rath's horse finally. My legs feel numb for not having enough use but they will be better soon. I haven't had time to locate where any of my friends are. I am standing by Mark with the three lords, however. Among us there is also Hawkeye, Lord Pent, and Lady Louise.

"Tell me, Hawkeye," Lord Eliwood asks, "do you know the location of the Shrine of Seals?"

Hawkeye replies, "I've heard its north of Bern. But the location of the shrine itself is secret. I doubt if anyone outside the royal family knows how to reach it."

"So, if we want to reach the shrine, we'll have to contact the royal family, is that it?" Lady Lyn asks.

"Without revealing our identities or our motives?" Lord Hector asks. He looks frustrated. "There's got to be another way to find where it is."

"I can provide you with its general location." Lord Pent says suddenly.

"Lord Pent?" Lord Eliwood asks.

"I'm privy to the highest secrets of military information in Etruria." He explains. "When we learned of the shrine's existence, we investigated. However, none of our operatives returned. Bern's defenses are formidable."

"So, even if we reach the shrine, we're as like as not to be captured?" Lord Hector asks.

"Most likely." Lord Pent replies. "And if your identities are discovered, Bern will see it as an excuse to invade Lycia."

"That, above all else, must be avoided." Lord Eliwood says.

"That's where I come in."

The lord looks at the sage confused. "What do you mean?"

Lord Pent continues, "Duty demands that I attend the post-ceremony festivities. However, I will greet the queen privately before the ceremony."

"Privately?" Lord Eliwood asks amazed. "You can do that?"

Lady Louise says, "Queen Hellene was born in Etruria. She and I are related, albeit a distant relation."

Lord Pent nods. "When we meet, I will discreetly ask about the Shrine of Seals. Most like, she'll not say much, but anything will help, will it not? Rest assured, even if I fail, I will not reveal your presence."

My eyes widen. Fail? This plan really sounds dangerous!

Lord Eliwood also looks panicked. "Lord Pent! That's-"

Lord Pent cuts him off. "If we do not return by tomorrow, return to Lycia and come up with a new plan. Understood?"

The lord pauses. "If you fail, what will become of you?"

"Everything will work out." He shrugs. "It wouldn't be a bad life. Abandoning my position…" He looks down at his wife taking her hand. "Living on the run with Louise…"

She smiles, the love obvious within her eyes. "If I'm with you, my Lord Pent, I care not where we go."

"I pray for your success." Lord Hector says.

"Please do!" Lord Pent says smiling at us. He then looks back at his wife. "Let us proceed, Louise."

The two leave.

"Come back safely!" Lady Lyn calls out. "We'll be waiting for you!"

That's when everyone agrees that we set up camp really quickly. We are hidden away from town so it should be ok. When things calmed I spot Florina and smile. I jog up to her.

"Hey, Florina!" I call to her.

She turns to me and smiles. "Hi, Luna."

"Do you want to talk?" I ask.

Florina nods. "I would like that."

So, away from the others, we sit down in the grass. Florina brought her pegasus with her so it is lying down close by. Florina pulls out a brush from her bag and shows it to me.

"Want me to brush your hair?" she asks. I nod happily. I turn and she proceeds to brush. "Is everything alright with you?" she asks.

"Honestly? Things could be better."

Her brushing slows a bit. "Want to tell me about it?"

I sigh. "Well… you know the new person that joined, right? The wyvern rider?"

"Uh… oh, y-yes. I know who you're talking about." She says. "What about him?"

"I… I have a fear of wyverns." I explain. "So, with him in the group, my nerves seem to be worse." She doesn't say anything. I continue. "I mean, I'm sure he is a nice guy, but I can't help but think about my nightmares; about my childhood."

"That sounds like me and archers." Florina comments. "A-And men."

I smile giggling slightly. "That's why I wanted to tell you about this." I admit. "I thought you would understand where I was coming from."

"W-Well, yes." She says.

"How should I get over it?" I ask.

"U-Um…" Florina pauses. "W-Well, I don't think you can simply 'get over it'. But, you can try to lessen the worry." She explains. I pick at the grass listening to her. "Maybe try petting the wyvern in the group?"

I look at her and she stops brushing. "Petting it?" I ask. "That seems really scary."

She smiles gently. "It does, but it should help, right?"

I look at the ground. "I-It would." That's when an idea comes to my head. I look at her again. "Would you come with me when I go pet it?"

Her eyes grow slightly wide for a moment. She then smiles again. "Sure."

I smile at her. "Thank you." I take the brush smirking. "Your turn to talk."

She gulps nervously as she turns around. I start brushing her hair. "Have you been practicing?" I ask.

I see her cheeks turn pink. "Y-Yes, I have." She pauses. I wait to listen. "L-Lord Hector heard me last night."

I gasp. "No way!" She nods. "What happened?"

She looks at me and her face was red. "I-I told him. He joked at first, but then h-he was really n-nice."

My eyes widen. "Lord Hector? Nice?"

Florina's eyes widen. "Y-Yes! H-He really was!" She looks over at her pegasus. "He s-said he would p-protect me."

I start brushing her hair again. "Awe." I say. "That's so cute."

Once I finished brushing her hair I told her I was going to find my brother so I could talk to him a bit. She said it was fine as she grabbed her pegasus and walked into the quickly set up camp. I look around until I see the three lords and Mark there. I could also see Legault heading over. I notice that fog seems to be building up.

"Hello, Luna." Mark greets smiling at me.

"Hi." I return.

"This waiting is hard." I hear Lord Eliwood say. "There must be something we can do."

"I know what you mean, but we have to lay low…" Lord Hector adds.

I look at him. To believe such an easily angered, impatient lord like him was being really nice to Florina. She is so shy around men, too, that it's amazing. I laugh silently. Even Nils was surprised when Lord Hector was nice to him. He must have a secret soft spot.

"Why don't we try and gather some information on the Black Fang?" Legault suggests breaking my thoughts.

"Hm?" Lady Lyn asks. "Information?"

"Yes." He then starts explaining, "Black Fang's headquarters are here in Bern. The location was never disclosed to me, though. The Black Fang is so much different than it once was. Any information we could gain would be beneficial."

Lord Eliwood nods. "That's a good idea. Thanks, Legault."

"Think nothing of it." Legault says smirking.

He then walks away. My eyes widen. Now is the perfect time to ask him, right? I walk away from the four who are discussing and hurry to catch up with the fast thief.

"Wait up!" I say quickly.

Legault turns and spots me. He smirks. "Slow down. It's not like I'm going anywhere."

I stand next to him gathering my thoughts together. Once I was good I look at him seriously. "The first time we met you said something interesting. You said I reminded you of someone." His eyes widen slightly but only for a quick second that I don't know if I imagined it or not. "What did you mean by that?" I ask.

He smiles. "You have a good memory, don't you? You don't let anything slip by." I stay silent. When he sees that I won't talk he sighs. "It's a long story."

"I'm not going anywhere." I say.

He chuckles. "Using my own words right back at me…"

"Ah!" I suddenly hear someone exclaim. We both look to see a man standing in front of Lord Eliwood and Ninian. "Black Fang?"

I can't hear what they are saying due to where we are. I look back at Legault to see him smirking. He looks back at me. "I guess the story would have to wait for another day."

I press my lips together. "Fine. But I won't let you forget it." I say before running off to be with Mark.

"Counterattack! To arms, everyone!" Lord Eliwood yells to everyone.

My quiver filled with arrows is quickly strapped on and my large bow is clutched in my hand. I'm ready to go. The problem is that the fog is thick. How am I going to find where I am going?

"Luna."

I turn around. "Oh, Matthew." I smile. "Hi."

"Hi." He returns. He then winks saying, "You know fogs are my specialty."

I giggle. "I could use your help."

"Of course."

Half of the group agrees to go north while the other half travel across the bridge on the south-east side. As we run ahead a few magic users appear to attack. Fiora and Florina are able to handle them easily.

The farther we go I notice how Lowen and Rebecca make a great team together and finish an enemy together. Lord Hector keeps his word and helps protect Florina from a few wyverns. I rush up hoping to help. Matthew is by my side as we run.

A lone wyvern along with it's rider flies down and attempts to attack Lord Eliwood. I take aim at it taking deep breaths. You can do it, Luna. They are far away. Nothing to be scared of. I shoot feeling my fear fly with it. It hits the rider and he falls to the ground. I go ahead and shoot the wyvern and it also falls to the ground. I smile brightly. I did it!

I feel a hand on my shoulder and I turn to look at Matthew. He is smiling at me.

"Good job, Luna." He says.

"Thank you." I return still feeling proud of myself.

We both become alert once more and continue running north following the group. Some sword-wielders appear to attack. I can't see them well so I rely on Matthew's keen sight to help me out. I think I have shot two down when Matthew smiles.

"Luna, there is a ballista over there." He says pointing.

I squint my eyes hoping to see it but I can't. "Where?" I ask.

"Follow me." Matthew says.

He runs towards the ballista until it finally comes into view for me. I smile.

"This should help a lot." I say as we are now standing by it.

I climb onto the contraption figuring out the controls. I know I have done this last year but it's been a while since I was the driver of it. I roll it forward a bit to see if there are any enemies I can hit.

"Do you see the large building?" Matthew asks me.

I look up the hill to see what he is talking about. "Yeah."

"To the left there is another ballista but one of the enemy archers is using it." He looks at me. "Think you can hit them?"

I press my lips together feeling nervous. I can't exactly see what he is seeing but I do have a basic idea.

"If you can make sure I don't hit one of us by mistake or miss I will try my best." I say.

He stands behind me on the ballista and tells me in what direction to aim at. Once it's at the perfect spot in his eyes he tells me to shoot. I pull the lever and the arrow launches high into the air. The fog conceals it. I turn to Matthew.

"Did it hit?" I ask.

He smirks. "Bull's eye."

I smile. "Great!" We give each other a high-five. I then see something flying in the sky. "Is that a wyvern?" I ask.

Matthew looks. "Yes, it is."

"Is it Heath?"

"No, it's not."

I take aim using the ballista. It's moving kind of quickly so I don't know if this will hit or not. I do my best and fire. The arrow shoots through the air. It goes through the wyvern's wings and it crashes to the ground.

"Nice shot!" Matthew exclaims.

I beam. "Thanks!"

When Matthew looks back up at the sky confusion and a bit of panic is clear on his face. I look at him confused.

He turns to me. "I think another wyvern rider spotted us."

My eyes grow wide. Matthew looks up at the sky and his eyes grow wide. I look as well to see that the wyvern is flying down at high speeds. Oh no! Matthew grabs my arm and pulls me off the ballista. When the wyvern rider lands the wyvern right on top of the ballista it shatters and Matthew and I fall to the ground. Matthew and I stand up and turn to see the rider and wyvern glaring at us.

"Run." I say.

"What?" Matthew exclaims.

"Run!" I yell at him. His eyes grow wide. "Your knives won't do well against him! Just get away!"

I can see on Matthew's face that he has doubt but instead of arguing with me he nods and runs away. I sigh with relief. Good. I turn to the wyvern and feel the familiar pounding in my chest. I am my arrow at the wyvern. The wyvern leans in as if to bite me but I quickly fall back. The rider aims the lance at me. My eyes widen. Crap! He throws it and I quickly roll out of the way.

I stand up and panic. He is too close for me to take a good aim. Even if I did take aim the wyvern would intervene. What do I do now? I hear a loud sound in the distance. That sounds like an angry wyvern. The enemy rider looks up towards the sound. I look as well. It's Heath and Hyperion swooping down to the ground.

"Luna!" he yells.

My eyes widen. Heath looks so… pissed. He stabs his lance into the wyvern and it cries out in pain. I turn to run away. Once I am at a good distance I step on my one foot and spin around keeping my other leg bent up. I take aim and fire my arrow at the rider. It goes right through the enemy's head. I land my other foot down on the ground to keep from falling as the rider falls to the ground.

I jog back up so I am close to Heath and Hyperion. I see Heath dismount making me confused.

"Heath?" I ask. "What are you-?"

The next thing I know I am being hugged tightly. My eyes widen. My heart is pounding within my chest. Is this going to be normal? My heart pounding like a drum?

"What were you thinking?" he yells at me. I wince. It hurts when you get yelled at right in your ears. Heath backs up but keeps his hands on my shoulders. "You know facing a wyvern alone is dangerous!"

I look into his eyes. Yep. He is pissed. "I-I'm sorry." I stutter out. I feel energy build within myself. "I had to, though!" I exclaim. "If I didn't my friend might have been in danger!"

Heath glares at me for a few more seconds before sighing heavily and his head goes down. His hands are starting to shake as he continues gripping my shoulders. I feel so confused. He is angry, I get it. But what's with the shaking? Is he scared of something?

Suddenly Hyperion is right by us and he is looking at me.

"Eep!" I exclaim.

A startled Heath looks up and sees that Hyperion is next to us. He smiles weakly letting go of me. He pets Hyperion's cheek.

"I'm sorry, boy." Heath says soothingly.

Hyperion makes a noise as if in reply making me jump. Too close, too close, too close! I take a few steps back. Hyperion glances at me and sniffs me. I put my hand up so it is resting on top of its nose. Hyperion closes his eyes.

Something makes me look to the side and I see Matthew standing there. I feel the guilt within me. I jog up to him. Before he can say anything I hug him.

"Luna?" he asks.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you!" I say quickly. "I shouldn't have but I was really worried about you!"

Matthew pats my back. "It's okay."

I let go of him to see a smiling thief. I smile back at him. "Buddies?"

He chuckles. "Always."

Matthew puts his fist out. I put mine out so they touch. I laugh and so does he.

"We should catch up to the others." I say.

Matthew nods. "Let's go."

I look over at Heath quickly. He smiles at me. I gently smile back at him. Matthew and I then run up the hill to the building. They have defeated the leader of the group that attacked us. He isn't dead, though. I see Mark and automatically stand by him. Matthew is standing on the other side of me.

"Are you well?" Lord Eliwood asks the guy.

I notice the man has short, very light, brown hair with stubbles on his chin. He wears a long black coat and still clutches a sword very tightly in his hand. He looks handsome and has a strong feel around him. I'm not just talking power. Just his being in general.

"I'm beaten." He says looking at the lord. "You are strong. Stronger than I'd realized."

Lord Eliwood doesn't say anything to it. I watch as the man glares at him.

"You're foolish as well." He says. I don't know if it was my imagination or if I saw a quick flash of a smirk appear on his face. "To waste sentiment on me, your enemy."

"Ah!" Lord Eliwood exclaims as the man grabs him and pulls him away from the rest of us. He turns the lord so his back is against the man's chest and the sword is right at his neck.

"This is what happens." The man says simply.

"Eliwood!" Lord Hector calls glaring at the man.

Lord Eliwood, again, is silent.

"Peace. I've no plans on fleeing with a hostage." He explains. "After I deal with you, I'll let the rest of them go."

Lord Eliwood closes his eyes. Why does he look so calm? "Uhai said the same thing." He says. My eyes grow wide as my mind flashes back to the time.

"What?" the man asks.

"We battled your comrade Uhai on the Dread Isle…" Lord Eliwood explains. "He told us that he'd do nothing so cowardly as take a hostage. He fought with honor." The lord opens his eyes. "You Black Fang are not evil by nature. So why is it that we fight?"

The man says, "Uhai… You spoke with him?"

"Yes. With his dying breath, he told us the way to the Dragon's Gate."

For a moment the man stays silent. It looked like he was unsure of something. "I see…"

He suddenly pushes Lord Eliwood back over towards us.

"Ah!" Lord Eliwood exclaims.

"Go." The man says. "Don't worry. I, too, have my honor. I will not attack you again."

Lord Eliwood turns back to the man. "Will you join our cause?"

"No… However, something is amiss." He answers glaring past us as if seeing something. He then looks at the lord. "You have been granted a brief reprieve until I have my answers."

Lord Eliwood pauses. "Tell us, what is your name?"

"I'll tell you next time we meet. Be seeing you." As we turn to leave the last thing I hear be said is, "Watch out for the woman named Sonia."

I frown at the ground. Sonia? I wonder what type of woman she is. Is she that dangerous? I guess I won't get those questions answered till later on. For now, we head back to camp.

"That was close." Lord Hector says sighing.

"Forgive me." Lord Eliwood says. "I wanted to speak with him at least once."

"Don't sweat it." Lady Lyn says patting his back. "At least we learned a little something about our opponent."

Lord Eliwood nods. "The Black Fang seems to have some honor after all. Perhaps they really are just being used by Nergal. We should talk to their leader, Brendan Reed."

Lady Lyn adds in, "Perhaps we can resolve this without any more fighting."

Lord Hector glares looking angry. "I don't like it. Sounds like a terrible plan."

I look at him surprised along with Lady Lyn. "Hector?" she asks.

"Let's get back to camp." Lord Hector says quickly. "We might have some word from Pent and the others."

He quickly walks ahead to be by himself. I look at him feeling a bit worried. Is something wrong with him?

"I wonder what that was all about." Lady Lyn says.

Lord Eliwood stays silent. I glance at him. I wonder if there is something he knows.

_**(Much later)**_

The sun is no longer up as everything in camp relaxes. There is a fire glowing at the center and a large number of us are sitting around it including me. My boots are back in the tent so I am barefoot at the moment. It feels nice. The fire is very helpful warming up my weary body and mind. The loud chatter within the group is very comforting, too.

It's better than earlier when Mark was arguing with a new recruit in the group. Her name is Farina and she is the sister of Florina and Fiora. She was trying to convince Lord Hector to buy her services for a ridiculously high price. Luckily my brother was there to talk it out. Talking turned into yelling. Eventually, though, they got the price settled so she is part of the team. Apparently, Mark has met Farina before. I want to figure out how they met.

Another exciting thing happened, too. Wallace is back on our team! It has been a year since I have seen him. Oh, trust me, he still scares me. His largeness and his loud, booming laughter makes me worry. But it is good to have him on our side.

"Hey, Luna." Guy says sitting next to me.

I smile at him. "Hi, Guy." I then notice Matthew sitting on the other side of me. "Hi, Matthew." I say.

"Hey." He says smiling.

I draw my knees up so I am hugging my legs. I place my chin on my knees sighing. "Today felt like a very long day."

Guy sighs heavily. "It really has been."

I stare at the fire. "I wonder of Lord Pent and Lady Louise are here or not."

"I'm sure they will be soon." Matthew says. "The lords are basically itching for them to hurry."

I giggle. "They are just worried, that's all."

"I think we all are." Guy adds in.

Matthew nods. "That's true. Everyone seems lively otherwise."

I smile looking into the fire. "I like the feeling. It helps me distress knowing that everyone else is."

"You sure have had it rough recently, haven't you?" Guy asks.

I turn to him and shrug. "Nothing I can't get over."

Him and Matthew laugh. "Acting like a tough girl, huh?" Matthew asks.

I punch his arm smiling. "Not acting. I do feel a little stronger than before."

He smiles. "Whatever you say."

I stick my tongue out at him making him laugh more. The rest of the night is spent with the three of us talking. I'm pretty sure Lord Pent and Lady Louise came back but I didn't want to bother at the time. I'll talk to Mark tomorrow so I can catch up on whatever I'm missing. Oh, and I have to remember to talk to Legault, too.

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><p><strong>This is another long chapter so that's why it took me a while to get done and such. Plus, for some reason, I wasn't in the mood to type a story. XP I have those days but its bad since the chapter was due today. I didn't want to let you guys down so I hope this chapter turned out alright! :D So, let me thank the following reviewers before I type too much and my fingers go numb from all the typing. XP<strong>

_**SuperNova23 (Thanks for the review! I'm looking forward to when you update your fanfic. ;) )**_

_**ExposedWiresExposedVeins (Good to hear from you again! :D I like reading your reviews no matter what they are like. ^_^)**_

_**Hyralc (Sorry for skipping that chapter! I am playing the game as I write the story so whatever doesn't happen in the game I don't type. Sorry! ^_^' Oh, and Luna and Florina got to chat. ;) That okay?)**_

_**Meru-64 (Nice, long, and funny as always reading your review. XD Hope you aren't TOO hyper when you review again. ROFLOL)**_

_**patattack (Thanks for reviewing and thanks for your help with Farina. I mentioned her briefly but hopefully I will be able to type her out more in the later chapters. I always appreciate your help, btw. :D)**_

__**Well, that's it. Next Saturday I am going to Virginia Beach! :D That should be fun. Oh, and I am going to work on the next chapter earlier so I can have it ready to post early in the morning before I leave for my trip. So, see you all in the next chapter! ^_^ Sayonara!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello, readers! It's almost 11 pm but I got it done! :D I'm glad I got it done and I got to finish it on my dad's nice laptop! ^_^ I know I said I would be in Virginia Beach today but because of Hurricane Irene our trip is being delayed until Tuesday. I'm a bit glad because I didn't get this done on Friday (even though I really wnated to) so I've got a chance to work on it all day today. Hopefully the chapter is good and you will all like it! X) But, seriously, it's been raining ALL DAY! I don't mind too much since I love the rain. XD It's still raining and apparently it won't stop until 3 in the morning! *gasps* Anyway, enough hurricane talk, let's go ahead and start the chapter!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Fire Emblem or the characters. I own my OC Luna (and proud of it XD).**

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><p><span>Chapter 16:<span>

I wake up in the morning at a decent hour. My eyes are wide as something occurs to me. I didn't have a nightmare last night. Not about my childhood or about wyverns in general. Smiling widely, I jump up and run out of the tent. I pass by people and other tents until I reach the fire pit. The three lords are talking with each other. I look at them in confusion.

"Mark is not with you?" I ask them.

Lord Eliwood looks at me. "No one has seen him yet."

Lady Lyn nods. "Maybe he is still sleeping?"

Lord Hector crosses his arms. "Isn't he usually the first one up?"

My eyes widen as panic and worry sets in. I sprint from the three lords and down past more tents and people until I reach Mark's. I burst in and look around. I see him lying down curled up in a ball. I kneel by him and press my forehead against his. I can see that Mark is struggling to breathe. I stand up and step outside.

"Someone please help!" I exclaim. "Mark's running a fever!"

_**(Later)**_

"Oh, cheer up, Luna." Serra says putting her hands on her hips. "It's not like Mark is going to die."

I look at her sadly trying to smile. "Sorry. I'm just really worried."

She sighs smiling gently at me. "Come on." She clasps her hands together. "We came here to shop for clothes for you and that's what we're going to do!"

I nod. "Okay."

We are in the store browsing through some things. So far I haven't found anything that looks good and that I can fight in. I don't think Serra is thinking about the fighting part because she keeps on finding pretty dresses. I can't fight in a dress. I mean, I can, but then it'll just get dirty and ruined.

I hear Serra gasp loudly. She exclaims, "Luna, you _have_ to try this out!"

I walk to where she is and freeze. She is holding up a very nice black and white dress. The dress is knee-length and the sleeves are long and loose. It has ruffles that are white and there are bows on it colored black. Way too pretty to wear in battle. **(a/n: I'll put up a link on my profile of what the dress is based on.)**

"S-Serra." I stutter. "You know I _fight_, right? This dress is going to get ruined if I wear it."

She shrugs. "You're a long-ranged attacker. So it is less likely that it gets ruined then if you were fighting with a sword." She beams. "Besides, I wear fashionable clothes and that doesn't stop me from healing!"

I look at her bewildered. She does kind of have a point. But still! It's too nice of a dress to wear! She hands it to me and shoves me in an empty dressing room and shuts the door for me. I sigh heavily. There is nothing that's going to change her mind. I take off my clothes and put on the dress. I look myself in the mirror and gasp. It is pretty and it feels comfortable. Surprisingly, I don't feel restricted.

I step out of the dressing room timidly and Serra gasps. She squeals clapping her hands together. "That is perfect on you!" My face feels warm. "Twirl around!" she orders excitedly. I twirl around. This gets another squeal from Serra. "Yep, I knew it!" she exclaims. Serra shoves me back in the dressing room. "Hurry up and get changed so we can buy it!"

I get changed and hand her the dress. She goes to the cashier and pays for the dress. Once everything was settled she hands me the dress again and orders me to wear it. She wants me to walk into camp wearing it. The idea has my face feeling hot. So embarrassing…

_**(A few minutes later)**_

"Wow, Luna!" Rebecca exclaims looking me over. "You look pretty!"

"Y-Yeah, Luna." Florina stutters. "It's a b-beautiful dress."

"I know, right?" Serra boasts proudly. "I picked it out for her!"

I smile shyly. "Thank you." I look past them and spot Priscilla walking by. "Please excuse me." I say quickly.

I walk past the girls and jog up to the troubadour. She spots me coming towards her and stops.

"Hello." She greets.

"Hey, Priscilla." I say now standing in front of her. "Is Mark alright?"

She smiles gently. "He is alright. Just a slight fever but he would be better after some bed rest."

I sigh with relief. "Thank goodness."

"He's awake in his tent if you want to go see him." She says.

I smile at her. "Thank you."

I jog off past Priscilla and down the rows of tents until I'm at Mark's tent once more. I enter to see him sitting up and reading a book. I sit on the edge of the bed near him not looking at him. Mark places the book down and glances at me.

"Luna." He says. I look up at him hesitantly. "It's a simple fever. Nothing to worry about."

I twiddle my fingers feeling unsure. "Are you sure? You look really pale and tired."

"I've done enough of sleeping in for one day." He says sighing.

I laugh. "I've never seen you sleep in before."

He smiles gently. "I'm glad you helped me out. Thank you."

I look at the ground. "I didn't do much."

Mark places his hand on top of mine making me look back at him. "You found me and got help. That was doing a lot for me."

I smile squeezing his hand. I then stand up. "Make sure you rest some more." I tell him.

Mark replies, "I will. Oh, and you look nice."

"Thank you." I say softly.

I exit the tent. Farina is right outside. She nods at me in greeting very briefly before entering the tent. Huh, interesting… I shrug it off walking down the row of tents once more. Mine is not too far away. I see people taking down tents. We really must be leaving soon. Up ahead I hear something that looks like an argument. Nearby my tent I see Heath, Legault, and Serra standing together. Serra looks frustrated, Legault looks amused among his eyes but his face doesn't show it, and Heath looks confused about something.

"Hi." I say to them. They look at me. "What's going on?"

Legault smirks at me. "Looks like Serra wasn't exaggerating."

"I told you!" Serra exclaims frustrated.

I look between the two confused. "Huh?"

Legault pats Heath's back hardly making him stumble forward slightly. Recomposing himself, Heath looks over at me. I look at him still feeling confused. What's going on exactly? Serra places her hands at her hips.

"Well?" she asks. "Are you going to stare or actually say something?"

Heath blushes looking into my eyes. "Y-You look… beautiful."

My eyes grow wide. His cheeks become red and he looks away while covering his mouth with his hand. My heart skips a beat. Why does his compliment affect me more than the others I have heard? My cheeks become warm.

"Thank you." I reply smiling slightly.

Heath looks back at me. He coughs slightly before placing his hand back at his side. "Please excuse me." He says before quickly leaving. My eyes follow as he leaves.

"I'm glad that worked." Serra says.

I turn towards the other two. "It worked very well." Legault adds in.

I look at them confused. "What are you two talking about?" I ask.

Serra smiles at me innocently. "Nothing important." She says a little too quickly. "Well, I'm going to find Erk. Bye!" With that she leaves.

"I better go, too." Legault says before slipping away.

Still completely confused, I shake my head and exit the tent. That was strange. I smile to myself. At least people approve of the dress. My cheeks warm up as Heath's words repeat in my head. I close my eyes briefly before getting myself under control and pack my things up.

_**(Much later)**_

"We've finally arrived." Lord Hector says. "I can't believe they built a palace in these mountains."

"Bern is the only country on the continent where wyverns still fly." Lord Eliwood comments. "With its wyvern riders, I imagine this castle is the best-defended anywhere."

I clutch Mark's cloak close around me. It makes me have the flashbacks of the night my village was destroyed. I gulp trying to keep my nerves under control.

"I agree." Lady Lyn says nodding. "Look at the path leading up the mountain's face. It would be impossible to scale that in a direct assault."

"Defenders positioned higher up would have a clear advantage. Even the best soldiers would be taken out with ease." Lord Hector says while briefly looking around. He stops as if noticing something. "Hm… Look at that. They don't have any sentries posted. They must have a lot of faith in their defenses."

"Look at these surroundings!" Lord Eliwood exclaims looking around him. "They probably make do simply with patrols within the castle." He pauses. "The mighty Bern. I'd not like it as an enemy."

Lady Lyn crosses her arms. "And yet, from this impregnable fortress, a treasure was stolen. Perhaps the king really is responsible for all this." She looks at the castle. "It's hard to imagine any thief cracking Bern's defenses."

On the way to the castle Mark had briefly filled me in. According to him we have to find something called the Fire Emblem. It is needed for the prince's coming-of-age ceremony. Once we get it and bring it back we will get information on the location of the Shrine of Seals. So, of course, this job is very important.

"You're right." Lord Eliwood says. "But I can't imagine why the king would do this. To find the Fire Emblem, we're going to need clues."

That's when Lady Lyn gets an idea. "Listen, why don't we try sneaking into the castle?"

Lord Hector smiles at the idea. "That's what I was waiting for! I like the way you think."

I cover my mouth so I don't end up laughing out loud. Of course Lord Hector would be into this plan. It's very smart of Lady Lyn to think it up, though. I just really hope that things go well and that nothing bad happens.

Lord Eliwood looks at the two lords and I with much seriousness. "Whatever happens, we must not be caught. If it looks impossible, turn around and come back here."

"Got it!" Lord Hector exclaims.

"Of course!" Lady Lyn adds.

"Understood." I say smiling.

Normally, it would be Mark here with the three lords and not me. Because of his fever, however, he is too weak to walk around. Therefore, I am here at his replacement for the time being. Of course I have to tell Mark everything that happens once we return. I pull up the hood of his cloak over my head. We better get this done and over with.

We sneak into the palace grounds; very large that's filled with many plants and lovely green grass. We glance around the place.

"This is… an inner garden?" Lady Lyn asks.

Suddenly, Lord Eliwood looks panicked. "Shh! Someone's coming this way."

That's when I hear noises, too. My eyes widen. Crap, crap, crap! What do we do? We just got here and already we have found ourselves in huge trouble!

"Here! Into this thicket!" Lord Hector whispers loudly pointing at some large bushes.

We all sprint and hide behind them. I'm squished between Lady Lyn and Lord Eliwood and Lord Hector is on the other side of Lord Eliwood. I kneel on the ground and lean forward so I can peak through the leaves and branches without making much noise. The other lords also do the same thing. That's when a young boy of blond appears on the grass. Nearby is a blond young man wearing purple armor.

"Brother!" a little girl with wavy blond hair exclaims running towards the boy. "Hello, Zephiel!"

He turns towards her and smiles. "Ah, Guinivere. Have you been well?"

Guinivere beams nodding. "Uh-huh! I've been fine. But if you would come and see me every day, I'd be even better!" She spreads her arms out wide. "Much, much better!"

Zephiel's eyes widen slightly but he still smiles. "Every day? Well, that's an awful lot, but I'll come as often as possible." He rubs the top of her head. "All for you, dear sister."

"Yippee!" she cheers looking extremely happy.

I smile to myself seeing how cute she is. It reminds me slightly of how Mark and I were towards each other when we were tiny kids.

"Guinivere!" A man calls. "Guinivere! Where are you, lass?"

She runs towards the man and that's when I see that it is the king of Bern itself. "Here I am, Father!"she exclaims smiling. "Welcome home."

The man smiles slightly. "Ah, there you are. Were you a good girl while I was gone?" He spreads his arms out towards Guinivere and he squats down. "Come; give your father a kiss. You're as adorable as ever."

The little girl goes to hug the king and pecks him on the cheek. He returns the peck on her cheek.

"Well met, Father." Zephiel simply states. He looks kind of uncomfortable standing there. I look at him confused. Do they not get along?

The man stands up straight frowning at the boy. "…Zephiel. Hmph… You take the same unpleasant tone as your mother."

Zephiel's eyes widen. "What? I… I…"

"Silence." The king cuts in. I feel bad for Zephiel, that's for sure. "What brings you to my castle?"

"Ah, yes…" He turns towards the man in purple armor. "Murdock."

The man steps forward. "Yes, my lord." That's when I notice something small and fuzzy looking in the man's arms.

"We were hunting in the forest earlier." Zephiel explains. He takes the small thing from Murdock and shows it to Guinivere. "…We found this and thought Guinivere might like it."

"Eeek!" she exclaims with joy. "A baby fox? How cute! It's so very cute!" She takes it gently from Zephiel and cuddles it. She looks at him. "Is it for me? Really?"

"Do you like it?" he asks smiling.

"Yes, I do!" Guinivere exclaims. "Thank you. I do love you, Brother!"

The king, however, does not look pleased. He says, "Guinivere, go play for a while."

She smiles at the king. "Ok!" She then looks down at the fox. "Come on, let's go! You lovely little fox!"

Guinivere runs holding the little fox to some other part of the garden. I could tell that it was getting tense where the king, prince, and young man are standing. This can't be good.

"I've told you to stay away from the castle." The king says glaring at Zephiel.

He looks up at his father. "Yes… I know… I beg your pardon. I heard that Guinivere was ill and I was… worried."

I press my lips together so I don't end up saying 'awe' out loud by mistake. That would be very bad if I did. But, still, it was very sweet of the prince to worry about his younger sister. The king, however, doesn't seem to like the answer.

The king looks at him with mockery and anger. "Hah, you mean you came to see if she would die, don't you?"

My eyes widen along with Zephiel's. "Father…"

Murdock speaks up by saying, "I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, that…"

The king gets angry and snaps at him. "Hold your tongue, Murdock! Don't forget whom you serve! The king of Bern!"

Murdock becomes silent and presses his lips together.

Zephiel turns to Murdock. "It's all right, Murdock." The man nods stepping back slightly. Zephiel looks back at the king. "Father, I would never want to see Guinivere harmed in-"

The king cuts him off. "You and your mother think of nothing more than stealing my throne. You plague me. Return to the manse!"

Zephiel pauses. He then slightly bows. "As you wish. I beg your leave… Father."

Zephiel and Murdock leave the garden together. I clench my hands so that they are fists. I can't believe the king was so mean to his own son! That's just… wrong!

The king starts talking to himself. "No matter how I warn him, he comes. Why is it that the very sight of him tries my patience so? He truly is of my own flesh and blood, yet…"

"Hee hee hee." A woman laughs. My eyes widen as I scan the garden. "It is jealousy, my king."

"Eh?" the king asks. "Who's there?"

I cover my mouth to not gasp aloud when I see a woman appear by the king. She has long dark hair in waves. Her evil smirking lips and long nails are colored a bright red that really pops compared to her strange, pale skin. Another thing that is very obvious is her scary, golden eyes. It's even more noticeable than her very skimpy black dress.

"It is I, Sonia." She says crossing her arms delicately.

My eyes widen. Didn't someone say to beware a woman named Sonia? This might be her!

"You…" the king says. "Well? Is the Emblem safe?"

"Yes, I have it in my possession. It is all as we planned."

"It is unlikely, but… The queen might attempt to win the Emblem back." The king glares at her slightly. "Are you prepared?"

Sonia's smirk does not falter but she does speak more seriously. "I will not fail… It is secreted away within the Black Fang's fortress."

"Keep it concealed until dusk of the tenth day, then return it to me." The king orders.

She nods slightly. "As you will, Your Grace."

"And what of my other request…"

"One of the Four Fangs will tend to it. There will be no mistakes." Her smirk disappears. "However, General Murdock, the man protecting the prince… He is young, yet well respected. Shall we finish him, too?"

The king pauses thinking for a moment. "Murdock… His birth is low. And yet his combat skills have won him the title of Wyvern General. It would be a great blow if Bern were to lose him." The king glances back at Sonia. "I'll think of something to remove him from Zephiel's side. Will that do?"

Sonia smirks once more. "Yes. It would be of great help." She then suddenly becomes very serious as she exclaims, "Wait!" She scans the area.

"What? What is it?" the king asks.

"I… sense someone." She says coolly.

My body tenses and I can feel that the lords are getting nervous, too. I really hope we don't get caught! That would be really bad if we got caught now!

"Where?" the king exclaims.

"Father!" Guinivere calls from somewhere farther away. "Brother! Where are you?"

The king sighs in relief. "Do not worry. It's my daughter."

Sonia nods seeming to relax a little. "Of course. Do not forget the Black Fang's role once we are successful."

The king nods. "Of course. Now begone. Quickly."

"Farewell." She says smirking.

The woman vanishes leaving the king alone and us feeling more relieved. I can't wait till they go away so we can get out of hiding and leave quickly. My body is starting to get sore from all of this squatting and peaking through the bushes.

"Zephiel!" the little girl calls appearing. "The kit, it…" She pauses looking around confused. "Hm? Where is my brother?"

The king looks at her smiling slightly. "He had an errand to perform and left."

Guinivere's eyes widen looking sad and panicked. "Oh, no! No, no, no! I wanted to play!" she whines.

"Come, Guinivere." The king says reaching a hand out towards her. "I will play with you."

Guinivere glares at the king. "No! I want to play with him, not you!" I cover my mouth pressing my lips very hard together. I close my eyes tightly. Burn! That had to sting really badly, king! Oh, gosh! I hope I don't start laughing out loud! I'll go and call him back. Here, hold my fox!"

The little girl hands the fox to the king and he takes it reluctantly. The little girl then runs off.

"Attend me!" the king yells looking very pissed.

"Yes, my lord." A guard says calmly.

"Take this beast and kill it!" the king orders shoving the fox at the guard. "Do not let Guinivere know what you do."

The guard nods taking the fox. "Understood."

The guard leaves holding the fox. My eyes are wide. No! The poor little fox! What did it ever do to you? Guinivere is going to be so sad when she finds out that the fox got killed!

"Zephiel, you knave." The king says angrily. "Trying to steal my Guinivere's love…" He yells, "You will learn your place!"

The king storms out of the garden. That's when the lords and I were finally able to stand up and come out of hiding. I stretch my arms above my head feeling my back crack. My goodness that was annoying! But, we did learn a lot of information from this experience. I can't wait to tell Mark everything that happened!

"That was close…" Lord Hector says. "I was afraid they'd catch us."

I finish stretching and nod. "Me, too." I add in.

"This is worse than I'd imagined." Lord Eliwood says. "The Black Fang has already reached the king."

"Their plans for Lycia failed, and now they're targeting Bern." Lady Lyn says.

Lord Hector crosses his arms. "If a country as powerful as Bern moves, peace knows no hope."

Lord Eliwood nods. "What Nergal desires is powerful quintessence. Calling dragons back… Does he wish to embroil the world in chaos?" I look around making sure no one else was coming. "Whatever his plans, he must be stopped at any cost!"

"Right." Lord Hector says. "Find the Fire Emblem and return it to the queen. We do that and she'll point us toward the Shrine of Seals." I nod in agreement.

"If we go to the Black Fang fortress…" Lady Lyn says.

"That's our goal." Lord Eliwood says. "I must meet with everyone and seek out their fortress."

The four of us exit the garden quickly and are now outside the castle. I sigh with relief knowing that we made it out alive. It was dangerous but, at the same time, it was kind of fun acting like a spy. Well, Matthew is a spy, so he probably does this kind of thing all the time.

Lord Hector says, "We'd better hurry and rejoin the others." He looks around and pauses. "Oh, no! Look!" he exclaims pointing. "It's a wyvern rider!"

"She's coming closer…" Lord Eliwood says. "Has she seen us?"

I also look to see a wyvern rider with short blond hair. She looks really scary. It doesn't help since I already have a fear of wyverns. So, because of that, she is two times scarier to me than she already is.

Lady Lyn shakes her head. "No, it's not us she's seen. It's…" She looks down the hill so I follow her gaze. "It's Nils!"

My eyes widen. Oh, no! This can't be good! I start sprinting down ahead of the three lords.

"Hey, Luna!" Lady Lyn calls out to me.

I look behind me to see that she is also running down to catch up with me. I look ahead once more. The wyvern rider is now by Nils. She better not do anything to him! As I get closer I see the woman grab Nils. I sprint as fast as I can until I am right over there.

"Nils!" I exclaim.

He turns to me and smiles. "Luna!"

"I'm the one you are looking for!" I hear Lady Lyn yell from behind me. "Unhand the boy!"

The wyvern rider looks over at us and smiles looking excited. "You've come! I've been looking forward to this!"

I look at her confused. "Looking forward?" I ask more to myself.

Lord Eliwood, who has caught up along with Lord Hector, asks, "What do you mean?"

"The chance to crush you!" she exclaims. "Then hand the children over to Lord Nergal."

"Nergal?" Lord Hector asks. He glares at the wyvern rider. "So you're one of his dogs, are you?"

I can see that she is pissed and fuming with anger. "I'll not be called a dog by you, blackheart!" she yells glaring at him. "True, we've a contract with the Black Fang, but… I am loyal to one master only! He who sits on the throne of Bern!"

My eyes widen a lot. She is very loyal, that's for sure. I wonder why she is working for the Black Fang, though. And, for some reason, I'm curious about the scar she has on her eye.

Lord Eliwood asks, "Then why are you in the employ of the Black-"

The wyvern rider cuts her off. "There's been far too much talking. Let's get started, shall we?" She mounts her wyvern. She smiles at us looking extremely excited. "I've long hungered for someone to test my strength against. Make this last awhile, will you? I want to enjoy this!" With that she flies to the mountains by the castle. She calls out in a super loud voice. "Listen up, everyone! It's playtime! Come on out! The palace has promised to stay out of this! Be as wild as you will!"

I sigh. For someone who says there has been too much talk, she talks a lot. I shake my head. Anyway, we better get ready to fight since her group is going to attack us.

"Hey, everyone." I hear Mark say.

I turn completely surprised. He is sitting on Farina's pegasus as she guides it over towards us.

"Mark!" Lord Eliwood exclaims jogging up to him. I follow him. "Our allies are hidden here and there to avoid being spotted. This is not our advantage. We must gather everyone quickly."

Mark nods. "Don't worry. I have everything under control."

Lord Eliwood smiles. "That's good to hear."

Mark smiles back. I continue to look at him in shock. What in the world is he doing up? Lord Pent and Lady Louise also walk up to us.

"We'll help, too." Lord Pent says. "Tell us what to do."

"You as well, Lady Louise?" Lord Eliwood asks.

"Of course." She replies.

Lord Pent smiles. "No need for concern. She is quite skilled with a bow. Those Bern wyvern riders will be sorry to meet her."

Lady Louise smiles. "Despite what you may thing, I shoot much better than I dance or sing. I believe I can be of some small assistance."

Lord Eliwood nods. "I understand. Thank you for your help."

Lord Pent then walks up to Lord Eliwood and talks to him. While they are busy I walk up to Mark.

"What are you doing up?" I ask him worriedly. "You're unwell and need rest"

He smiles reassuringly. "It's alright, Luna. I'm feeling better."

I sigh. "Just promise me you will be careful, alright?"

"Of course. You have to be careful, too."

I smile. "Alright." Then I take off his cloak from on me and hand it back to him. "There you go." I say.

"Thank you." He says taking it and putting it on. "Now I feel warmer."

I giggle. "I'm going to rejoin the others. Bye."

"Bye, Luna." He says.

Lord Pent appears probably so he can talk to Mark. I walk past him and ready my bow and arrows. I jog down hoping to rejoin with the others who should be south of here. A mage tries to attack me with fire but I quickly dodge and counterattack. The arrow shoots right through his chest and falls over. I continue running down. I notice that by the mountains there are some enemies getting ready to climb down and attack.

As I continue running I notice how this dress flows very nicely. It's not getting in the way at all. That's good. I was kind of worried about that earlier. Maybe Serra really did think about me being on the battlefield? Well, I'm not entirely sure. All I know is that I need to regroup with the others.

I spot Priscilla and Guy ahead. Guy just finished off an axe-wielder while Priscilla was a good enough distance away. Probably to make sure Guy had space. I run past them since they seem to be doing fine on their own. Florina flies over the mountains to where I had left the lords. I smirk. Maybe she is going over to help Lord Hector. I shake my head mentally and keep moving ahead.

By Merlinus' tent I see Kent and Fiora guarding it. The tent can't really be left alone or else some enemies might think it's a good idea to attack it. We definitely do not want that to happen. Merlinus holds all of our stuff, after all. I almost bump into Raven but I quickly miss him. Sighing with relief, I stop near Rath.

"Luna." He says.

"Hi, Rath." I return.

"There is a town up ahead that should be visited." He says.

I perk up. "Can I join you?" I ask. He nods. I smile. "Thank you."

As he rides his horse at a distant speed I run next to him. This makes me think of last year when he used to be my boss. I remember those days very well. He taught me archery so I was able to fight properly. He had my back and I always had his. No guys would be mean to me, either. I really did like that. Plus, when we had breaks, I would talk to him about home and my family. He never talked much but I was ok with that. Rath didn't seem to mind to listen, either. I always liked the rare little comments he would make, too.

I spot the familiar green wyvern and it's rider as they fly into the mountains to attack the other ones. Be careful, Heath. I look ahead to see a few horse riders. Two with bows and two with lances. This should be fun. I prep my arrow and shoot down a lance-wielder down. Rath goes ahead and shoots the other one down.

The nomads stay back as they prepare to shoot at us. An arrow is too close to hitting me but luckily my body moves fast enough to dodge it. Rath shoots but it ends up hitting the horse. It panics making the rider fall off. I run up to hit the rider when I feel something scratch my leg making it sting.

Rath glances at me before riding ahead to attack the nomad that shot me. I grit my teeth looking at my leg. I can't believe I completely forgot about the other enemy nomad. The arrow basically cut a clean line on the side of my leg above my maroon boot. Well, it's better than it getting stuck IN my leg. It doesn't look too deep, either. I run up (even though it hurts my leg) to the rider that fell who is now standing up. I quickly shoot my arrow and it flies right through his chest. I sigh with relief. I think the coast is clear for now.

"Luna." Rath says.

I look up at him. I watch as he dismounts his horse. He kneels down and looks at my leg. He then digs into his bag and pulls out vulnerary. He opens the little thing up and starts rubbing the contents over the wound. I hiss in pain and clench my teeth together closing my eyes. It really does sting. After a moment I look back at the wound. It looks better already. Rath wraps it up in bandages before standing up and looking me in the eyes.

"Thank you." I say.

Rath says, "You need to be more careful and pay attention."

I nod. "I'm sorry."

He pats the top of my head bringing me back to a year ago when I was first starting out.

"Let's go." He says.

He goes to mount his horse. I smile to myself. He rides ahead on his horse and I follow. At the village I tell him that I will wait outside. He nods going in. It only takes a few minutes before he is back out. He shows me the Hammerne staff that he got from someone. That's when we go ahead and head back to where everyone was mainly grouped up at. Running does still hurt my injured leg but not as badly as earlier.

Ahead I see groups of wyverns and their riders attacking. Rebecca, Wil, and a handful of others were fighting them. Rath and I quickly catch up so we can finish up fighting the rest of them. I spot Lord Pent using Elfire and it looks very cool. Erk and Serra are both fighting one together using lighting and shine.

Just as I was about to shoot a wyvern down a loud, unmistakable voice calls out really loudly, "Withdraw! Ground forces, pull back! And move quickly!"

The enemies quickly retreated making me confused. Why would that lady want to retreat? Wasn't she the one that was looking forward to fighting? Nothing really makes sense at the moment. The important thing, however, is that we are done fighting. The thought of that makes me sigh with relief. Everyone regroups.

"I guess that worked out." Lord Eliwood says.

"Lord Eliwood!" Ninian exclaims.

"Ninian! Nils!" Lord Eliwood exclaims. "Are you both well?"

"What should we do, Lord Eliwood?" Nils asks. "Nergal's power… It's returning bit by bit."

The lord looks at him confused. "What do you mean?"

"That woman you faced…" Ninian says. "She was protected by Nergal's magic."

"Her strength… It came from Nergal?" Lord Eliwood asks.

Ninian answers with, "Yes. It won't be long before he's active again. With all his power restored."

"We must hurry and gain the power to oppose him!" Nils exclaims.

Lord Eliwood scrunches his eyebrows together. "We have to recover the Fire Emblem. If we can do that…"

"Come on!" Lord Hector exclaims. "The palace is in an uproar. This is our chance to slip away!"

Lady Lyn stops them. "Wait! I have an idea. Let's follow them."

Lord Eliwood looks at her confused. "Lyndis?"

"Leave it to me." She says simply. "I think I might be able to find the Black Fang fortress."

She quickly walks up ahead looking at the ground. That's really cool how she can track them. A bit of time passes before we stop and Lady Lyn keeps looking at the ground following the track that only she can see super clearly.

"This way." She tells us. "The signs are fading, but they're really moving. I think I can track them if they keep this pace."

"Are you sure?" Lord Hector asks doubtfully. "Really?"

Lady Lyn turns to him. "Remember, I'm from Sacae. Bern's foot soldiers are slow and clumsy…" She looks back at the ground. "And to a Sacaen, men are easier to track than rabbits."

My eyes widen. That's really cool. I glance around till I spot Rath. I wonder if he can track things down. He is a nomad so there is a strong possibility that he can.

"What do you want to do, Eliwood?" Lord Hector asks.

Lord Eliwood responds, "Let's put our trust in Lyndis. If anyone can do this, she can."

An eyebrow rises on Lord Hector's face. "Are you serious?"

"Over here, everyone!" Lady Lyn calls.

With that we all follow her lead to where we hope is the Black Fang's fortress.

* * *

><p><strong>So... how was it? This took me forever to type because of the tons of dialogue *cough* garden scene *cough*. XD But, still, I kind of like this one. We get introduced to Vaida! :D She scares me yet she is cool at the same time. lolz Let me go ahead and thank the following people for reviewing the last chapter.<strong>

_**SuperNova23 (Thanks for the review and sorry I'm not the best video gamer in the world. XD Mark and Luna's history will come up [eventually]! ^_^)**_

_**Hyralc (Thanks for the review. I know I said [I did, right?] that Geitz would appear in this chapter but I didn't think it was good timing. Hopefully in the next chapter I will be able to pull him into the story. :D)**_

_**Meru-64 (I'm glad you loved the last chapter and hopefully this one was good, too. ^^ I hope school is going well for you. ;) )**_

_**patattack (Too bad I couldn't fit in Mark talking to Luna about Farina. XP I really wanted to but lots of other things came up so... hopefully soon! :D And, like I told Hyralc, sorry Geitz is not in this chapter! Soon! ^_^')**_

**That's all. Thank you all for reading this fanfic and/or reviewing. Hope to see you all next Saturday (where I will hopefully be in Virginia Beach)! I will try my super best not to update chapters late at night! I shall try to post it in the afternoon (no promises, though ^^')! Now I shall retreat to my room, keep my windows open so I can hear the rain, and relax my fingers from a lot of typing. XD**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello, everyone! I'm so happy and proud of myself! I actually finished typing up this chapter last night so I'm not craming it in today! :D It's the only thing keeping me in a good mood since my computer crashed. -_-... Anyway! It's 2 in the afternoon, I just came back from the beach, had some lunch, and I'm wearing sunglasses. ;) So, go ahead and read the story! Don't let me distract you! Hit it.**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Fire Emblem or the characters. I own Luna (and partially Mark).**

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><p><span>Chapter 17:<span>

As we kept following Lady Lyn's lead I finally spot Legault. I grab his arm and pull him aside. Legault looks at me with surprise clearly on his face. We keep moving forward but we are out of the so other's can't overhear our conversation.

"Are we ever going to talk or not?" I ask.

Legault smirks. "We're talking now, aren't we?"

I slightly glare at him. "You know what I mean."

He sighs. "Well, we are kind of busy right now and the story is a tad-bit long. Can this wait for another time?"

I sigh. "You sneaky little…" I pause and freeze mid-step.

Legault turns to me. "Luna? Are you alright?"

I frown in confusion. I look around but don't see anyone but our group. That's very strange. I felt like someone was watching me. I feel a hand on my shoulder and I jump in surprise. I look to see it's Legault still standing by me.

"Is something wrong?" he asks.

I shake my head slightly. "I had a strange feeling someone was watching…"

He looks at me seriously before glancing around. "Come on. Let's keep moving."

I nod and follow him. It gets colder and colder as we continue moving up the mountain. I hope we find their hideout soon. My legs are starting to feel numb even with the boots on. I'm only wearing my dress making things much colder. Legault has moved on ahead and has been silent.

A large green thing appears beside me and I gasp. It's Hyperion looking at me. I'm shaking but no longer because of the cold. I place a hand on my chest. Breathe, Luna, breathe. He's on your side. He is not one of the wyverns that attacked your home. Calm down.

"Luna?" Heath asks.

He is walking with his wyvern and watching me with concern. I look at him. I'm about to speak when I feel shivers run up my spine. I hug myself trying to stay warm. Heath steps in front of me making me stop. He takes off a brown cloak that he was wearing and wraps it around me. It feels very soft and warm.

I look up at him with wide eyes. "Won't you be cold?" I ask.

Heath smiles. "I'll be fine. Besides, you need it more than I do."

I blush and glance to the side. "Th-Thank you." I stutter. Hyperion's head is right by me. "Eep!" I exclaim.

I grab Heath and move him so he is between me and the wyvern. He looks between the both of us before laughing.

"It's alright." He says to me. "Hyperion is a good wyvern."

I look at him doubtfully. "That doesn't convince me."

Heath shakes his head. He moves me so now I am between him and Hyperion. It stares at me with its golden eyes making me scared. Unconsciously I grab Heath's arm with both of my hands trying to stay far away from the wyvern as possible. This makes Heath laugh gently. I squeeze his arm tightly as the wyvern continues to look at me. I look at the ground trying to focus on my footsteps.

"Luna." Heath says.

I look up at him. Then I realize I am still holding on to his arm. Blushing, I quickly let go. "Sorry." I say quickly looking at the ground.

"It's fine." he says. I feel his eyes on me. "Why are you scared of wyverns?"

My eyes widen. To anyone else, that might have sounded like a simple, innocent question. To me, it sounded like words I did not want to hear. It makes me think of that night that keeps on reoccurring in my mind. I'm glad I didn't have that dream last night but I feel like if I'm not careful it will pop up again. I really don't want that to happen. I want to get over my fears and stop making my brother worry about me. Or anyone else for that matter.

"Is it okay we don't talk about it?" I ask not making eye contact with him. I twiddle my fingers together. "It's something… that I don't like."

When nothing is said I look at Heath. He is looking at me as if contemplating something. He opens his mouth to speak when Hyperion nudges at me.

"Eep!" I exclaim.

I grab Heath's arm tightly trying to gain space between Hyperion and me. This makes Heath laugh a lot. I glare at him.

"It's not funny at all!" I exclaim at him.

Heath's laughs calm down when he looks at me. "B-But your reactions… they're so… funny." He says between laughs.

My eyes widen realizing I grabbed his arm again and quickly let go. I cross my arms looking away from Heath. Of course, that brings me in eye contact with Hyperion. Freaked, I quickly glance at the ground. I close my eyes. This day sucks. It really, truly does.

"Cute." I hear Heath whisper.

I blink my eyes a few times before looking at Heath. "Huh?" I ask.

He doesn't say anything but instead looks ahead. I look at him confused. I swear I heard him say something. I look ahead. Did he really say…? Nah. It couldn't be. I probably heard him wrong. There is no way he would say something like that. Even if he did, he would probably say that about some little animal or another girl. Certainly not towards me.

_**(Later)**_

We finally make it. The group is slowly following behind. Since Mark still wasn't feeling well I go ahead with the three lords in his place. We were close to the actual place when we saw a familiar wyvern rider walking in a different direction. She looks angry about something.

"That wyvern rider…" Lord Eliwood says. "That was the same woman we fought earlier. That proves that they took this mountain path."

Lady Lyn says, "Now that they've come this far, they've left their guard down. You can see their tracks in the snow as plain as day."

Lord Eliwood turns to her. "And you tracked them without fail. Amazing."

"Hee hee." Lady Lyn turns to Lord Hector with a smug look on her face making me smile. "Anything to say, Hector?"

Lord Hector looks at her a bit uncomfortable. "Ah… uh…" He crosses his arms. "I was wrong to doubt you."

"At least you admit it." Lady Lyn says looking satisfied.

Lord Eliwood looks around them. "The fortress there must be their headquarters."

"Let's sneak in and see what we can find!" Lady Lyn exclaims.

"Right! Follow my lead!" Lord Hector also exclaims.

The two of them jog up ahead. I giggle a bit. Its fun watching those two act like hyper kids wanting to play outside. I look at the ground and realize that I haven't seen snow in a while. Even though it makes me very cold I still like it. The beauty of the white glistening as if jewels were hidden among them.

Lord Eliwood looks at me. "Why do those two seem to be having so much fun?"

I snap out of my thoughts and turn to the lord. I smile shrugging. "That's just the way they are."

He sighs smiling. "I guess." He walks forward. "Come on. We better catch up."

"Right." I reply before walking beside him.

We reach the actual fortress and notice there are a few buildings that make up the place. I spot Lord Hector and Lady Lyn standing there looking around. Lord Eliwood and I catch up to them.

"Now… What have we here… What a complicated place." Lord Hector comments.

Lord Eliwood pauses. "It's little more than whispers, but I can hear human voices."

"Over there!" Lady Lyn exclaims pointing to a building off to the side. "Let's take a look."

"Marcus!" Lord Eliwood calls. The paladin rides up to listen to the lord. "Wait here with Ninian and everyone else. Be ready to escape at any time. I'm counting on you!"

Lord Marcus nods seriously. "Yes, sir. I will not fail."

Lord Eliwood smiles briefly before walking away. The other two lords follow. I quickly jog up so I can keep up with them. We make to a large building. Lord Eliwood and Lord Hector hide behind one wall by a door and Lady Lyn and I behind the wall on the other side of the door. Each wall has a window.

"Really?" I hear a girl ask. "You're giving me a mission? Really and truly? Mother!"

"I am." A familiar woman's voice says. "And it's a very big job at that. …It's for the king of Bern."

"The king?" the girl exclaims. "Such an important job… for me?"

I peer through the window even though I have to go on my tippy toes. I see the lady named Sonia, a girl with short green hair wearing a headband, and an intimidating looking man with scars covering him. I guess he has seen plenty of battles and is super strong.

"Sonia. I'm against this." The man says. "Giving a dangerous job to this child?"

"Father?" the girl asks.

Sonia glances at him pausing. She crosses her arms. "You're right; this really is a job for your sons. However, we have seen nothing of them since their last report."

The girl looks at the ground sadly. "Lloyd… Linus…"

The man stays silent.

Sonia continues. "So my daughter will do this. And I will have no complaints from you about it."

Again, he stays silent. He storms out of the room through another door. I sigh with relief. That would have been bad if he came through this way and saw us.

"Ah!" the girl exclaims. "Father…"

Sonia looks in the direction the man left looking frustrated. She yells closing her eyes, "You may do as you please!"

The girl looks at her hesitantly. "But…"

Sonia opens her eyes. "First, business! Jaffar! Come!"

The man appears and my eyes widen. Wasn't he at the Dragon's Gate before? He still seems as scary as ever. The girl turns to him with surprise on her face.

"Jaffar!" she exclaims.

"Look!" Lady Lyn exclaims. "That man! He was at the Dragon's Gate."

"Nergal's henchman." Lord Hector says. I turn to him to see he is glaring at the man's direction. "No doubt about it."

Lord Eliwood doesn't say anything. I turn my attention to the window once more.

"Jaffar!" the girl exclaims. "Should you be up? Don't your wounds hurt?"

Jaffar stays silent. This makes Sonia sigh in frustration.

"Must you be so discourteous?" Sonia asks. "It really is quite irritating." She shakes her head. "You heard the king's request, did you not?"

"Prince Zephiel…" Jaffar says. "He wants him assassinated."

The girl's eyes grow wide along with mine. "What? The prince? The king wants the prince killed?" she turns to Sonia. "Why? He's his son, isn't he?"

"Nino!" Sonia yells in frustration. "Be quiet."

"Ah…" Nino bows her head. "I'm sorry."

Sonia looks back at the man. "Jaffar, this mission is yours… and you're to take Nino."

Jaffar is silent for a moment. Then, he asks, "You're not serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious." Sonia replies evenly. "This girl is my daughter. She must prove herself as soon as possible."

Nino looks between Sonia and Jaffar.

"Don't do this. This is too much for her." Jaffar says.

My eyes widen. He actually sounds concerned for the girl. Is it possible that he has a soft spot for her? But, then again, it's hard to believe since he seems so dark and cold. It might be true, though.

Sonia continues. "As long as you are with her, there should be no problem. I'll brook no disagreement. We must have the king in our debt. Those are Lord Nergal's explicit orders."

Jaffar stays silent. He glares at the ground as if unsure of something. He doesn't show his emotions, however, so it is hard for me to read. It looks like he is contemplating something. To anyone else he might look like he is just standing there simply being obedient.

"Nino!" Sonia says loudly snapping me out of my thoughts. "You understand the consequences if you fail, don't you?"

"Um…" The girl pauses slightly. "Yes."

"Then we are off to investigate the prince's manse." Sonia says. "I'll provide more details on the way there."

The three of them exit the building through the same way the man left through only moments ago. Lady Lyn and I join lords Hector and Eliwood by the other wall so we can continue to watch.

"Kenneth!" Sonia says loudly.

A bishop in red appears with a cold, creepy smile on his face. "Yes, Lady Sonia."

"Where is Brendan?" she asks. "He just left the room."

"He went outside with Jan." the bishop answers.

"…I wonder what he's about…" She pauses as she thinks about something. Finally, she shakes her hand as if shooing the thought away. "…I'll deal with it later." She looks back at the bishop. "Listen, Kenneth. You're in charge of the guard while I'm gone. Do not let anything happen to the item."

"Understood. I will guard it with my life." The bishop says still keeping that creepy smile up.

The three of them leave. The three lords and I quickly leave to rejoin with the others.

Lord Eliwood asks, "Do they seriously mean to assassinate the prince?"

"Aye." Lord Hector says. "On the orders of the king, it would seem. Unbelievable…"

"The Emblem is essential to the prince's ceremony, right?" Lady Lyn asks. "Having the Emblem becomes useless if the prince is dead!"

"We must stop the assassination!" Lord Eliwood exclaims. "The girl, Nino… If we speak to her, she might understand."

I nod in agreement. She really looked uncomfortable about the assassination from where I was standing. But then I think about Jaffar. How would he react? I honestly don't know.

"Jaffar looks like a dangerous man…" Lady Lyn says. "But we have no other course of action."

I see Mark, Nils, Ninian, Marcus close to us. I smile at Mark waving at him. I jog up to him. I was close when suddenly the bishop appears in front of me. I gasp in surprise. Lord Hector quickly grabs my arm and pulls me behind him. He and Lord Eliwood stand shoulder to shoulder. Lady Lyn stays next to me.

"Hello, trespassers." The bishop greets. "I bid you welcome." His smile widens. "Imagine, the stronghold of a guild of assassins, infiltrated. Quite amusing, isn't it." He chuckles sending shivers up my spine.

"Oh!" Lord Eliwood exclaims as if realizing something.

"However, you shall not leave." The bishop continues. "Sonia has given me authority while she is away."

"You…" Lord Eliwood says stepping forward. "You're a holy man. What are you doing in this place?"

"Are you referring to my relationships with the 'gods'?" the bishop asks. There is a strange, mocking tone in his voice as he continues. "Are you still held in thrall of such a concept?" My eyes widen. "You've met Lord Nergal, haven't you? Then there is something you must know. Gods are lies created by the weakness of all mankind. …If a god truly exists, then it is my lord Nergal. Only him."

My eyes widen even more as I clench my hands together close to my chest. He's lost his mind. How can he be a bishop and not be loyal to the gods? He thinks Nergal is a god? That's just weird! Insane! Crazy! Uh… what other words could he be called?

"Insane…" Lord Eliwood whispers with wide eyes. Already got that word down.

"Eliwood!" Lord Hector exclaims. "Waste no time with that madman! Let's get out of-"

"We can't!" Nils cuts in. "Something's blocking our way. We can't get out!"

"That man." Ninian says staring at the bishop. "The one in front of you… A surge of evil…"

"Nothing is more beautiful than the suffering of men." The bishop says as if to prove her point. "When I'm watching, I'm afloat in an ocean of pure bliss…" He smiles with a dreamy look on his face. My eyes widen. I hug myself feeling really cold shivers run through my body. Then he focuses on us once more. "I will watch you for a long, long time."

That's when he suddenly vanishes. I feel frozen in my place.

"Gone." Lord Eliwood says.

"It's all right." Ninian says. He's still close…" She looks at the building close to us. "In this building… somewhere."

"We've got to defeat him and destroy this barrier!" Nils exclaims. "Otherwise, we'll never get out!"

Lord Eliwood looks panicked as he looks at my brother. "Mark! We have to find that man and escape this place! What are your orders?"

Mark walks up looking very cool and collected. "First off, we all need to calm down."

Once people settle down slightly he talks to the three lords. I stare at the ground still not moving an inch. Why can't I move? Does the bishop scare me that much? My eyes widen. Maybe it's because his eyes remind me of someone else's eyes that I've seen before. Hands clutch my arms making me jump. I look up to see a worried Matthew standing in front of me.

"What's wrong, Luna?" he asks.

I shake my head. I wipe my eyes quickly to hide the fact that tears were there. I smile up at him.

"Maybe it's the cold getting to me." I say.

He smiles kindly. "Want a hug?"

I nod hugging him. He rubs my back gently. I smile at how warm he is.

"It's not fair." I mutter.

"What is?" he asks.

I look up at Matthew. "You are warm and totally fine while I'm freezing my butt off."

He laughs. "I don't think you're the only one."

He looks over to the side and I follow his gaze. Serra is complaining to Erk about something that I can't hear. Erk's red cloak is on Serra's shoulders and not his.

I pull back giggling. I look at Matthew. "Thanks… for the hug."

Matthew smiles. "I'm here whenever you need me."

I smile. "I know I can count on you."

"Are you guys ready?" Mark asks walking over towards us.

I nod. "Just tell us what you want us to do."

Everyone in our group was ready. Matthew and I along with Rath, a newly promoted Lady Lyn, Florina, Lord Hector, Erk, and Serra are to go down a narrow path between two buildings to where there should be another entrance in. At least, that's what Mark believes. He's smart so I'm sure he is right.

Snow begins to fall so I pull up the cloak of the hood over my head. I look at the cloak feeling guilty. Will Heath really be okay without it? I know he said so but I still can't help but worry. To distract myself I take an arrow from my quiver and clutch my bow in my other hand. We better get moving.

I watch at Rath and Lady Lyn move on forward while Florina and Lord Hector are right behind. Erk and Serra move ahead and that leaves Matthew and I in the back. We all move out of the narrow path to be greeted by some wyvern riders. Rath shoots one down and I shoot at another one. Erk and Serra move ahead to a small building close by. A bolt nearly hits Matthew making me surprised. Someone is using long ranged magic attacks. Lady Lyn goes ahead and attacks another wyvern rider. I help her take it down.

I'm glad I'm getting more used to wyvern riders. Sure, they scare the living daylights out of me, but I am learning to control my fear. Well, fighting them at least. Actual being near one (Hyperion) is still something I can't exactly get over yet. It will probably take time. A lot of time to be more precise.

Lord Hector and Florina go into the building along with Matthew. I spot Erk and Serra stepping out of the little building close by. A swordsman appears out of nowhere and glances around. He has long hair wearing a Sacaen outfit and wielding a blade. His eyes look terrifying. Lady Lyn runs up and talks to him. Then, apparently just like that, he is on our side.

I run into the main building to see that the others from our group have also made it in. Most of us are grouped together. Mark rushes over towards me.

"I need you to go back to Merlinus' tent." He orders. "Just to make sure it's safe."

I nod. "Understood."

I rush out of the building and down the narrow path again. When I reach the tent I sigh with relief. Everything looks fine to me. A few wyvern riders appear and my eyes widen. I spoke too soon. An arrow is shot at one of them but it doesn't come from my bow. I turn around to see its Louise. Sighing with relief, I also grab an arrow and shoot down another wyvern rider. At least I am not alone. When no more appear I feel more relaxed.

"I think that's all of them." I say to Louise.

She nods. She suggests, "Let's regroup with the others."

"Alright." I reply.

We both run back up the narrow path and into the building once more. All of this running and fighting is keeping me warm and distracted from the snowy coldness around us. We pass through a door and into a room. The creepy bishop that around earlier is now lying on the floor dead.

"Everyone is being driven mad by Nergal…" Lord Eliwood says while glancing at the bishop.

"It must be terrifying, to lose yourself entirely…" Lady Lyn adds. "To completely fall under the sway of Nergal's power…" She pauses glancing around. "Hey!" Lady Lyn walks over to the back of the room. "What could this be?"

Lord Eliwood walks over to where she is and picks up the item she was looking at. "It can't be… the Fire Emblem?"

Lord Hector joins the two of them. "So this knave had it all along? Let's take it and go!"

"We've finally gotten it back…" Lady Lyn says sighing with relief. "Let's not waste our good fortune."

"Eliwood!" Lord Hector exclaims. "There's no reason for us to stay any longer!"

"I know!" Lord Eliwood returns. He then faces towards everyone and yells, "Let's make haste for the manse! We must stop the assassination! We can't let the prince's life be put in jeopardy!"

Everyone agrees. Immediately we all exit the large building and start making haste away from the large fortress. Since I am no longer distracted I feel the numbness within my feet once more. I bend down and rub my legs trying to get the feeling back. This can't be good. How can I keep up with the others when my legs feel so unsteady?

"Did you get hurt?" someone asks.

I look up to see its Heath. "No." I reply standing up. "My legs feel numb, though."

He looks at me with concern. "Maybe you should ride on my wyvern?"

My eyes widen. "Heath, you know I-"

Heath turns around and picks me up so I am now riding piggy-back on him. I gasp.

"Is that better?" Heath asks as he walks forward. "I know you don't like wyvern riders but just bear with it for a while, okay?"

My eyes widen. Is it just me or did his voice sound sad just now. I shake my head pushing the thought away. I wrap my arms around his neck blushing slightly.

"Okay." I reply. "But if I'm too heavy you can put me down."

Heath smiles looking at me. "You're not heavy."

I smile. "If you say so."

I rest my forehead against his back while he keeps on walking forward. I ignore the fact that Hyperion is right next to us and just focus on relaxing. I need to get my strength back as soon as possible. Sure, I'm scared of wyvern riders, but that's not the reason why I want to get off quickly. I hate bothering him and making him carry me. I don't like being a burden in general.

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><p><strong>So, this chapter was pretty short (which is probably why I got it done quicker than usual) but I still think it turned out alright. At least, that's what I hope. ^_^' Anyway, let me thank the following reviewers of the last chapter:<strong>

_**SuperNova23 (Thanks for the review. Well, now you know that I went for Karel since that's what happened in my game. ^^' Oh, and I did read your update but I haven't had time to review! I promise I will in the near future! :D)**_

_**Meru-64 (Thanks for your entertaining review. XD I hope the whole computer-crashing-thing won't set me back on my writings; especial RDHS. -_- And school starts for me on Tuesday! *gasps* lol)**_

_**patattack (Thanks for the review. I promise the explanation of the story will come up in the near future! I just never seem to have time to actually get to it. XP It will happen, though! :D)**_

_**(Since you didn't leave a penname I don't know how to adress you but thank you unknown person for your review! Oh, don't worry about Geitz. I have the perfect plan of him coming in and having it make total sense. ;) I feel like such a genious thinking about it now. XD Oh, well. I fixed the one typo so thanks for pointing it out. ^^ XD Yes, Serra is a secret little planner when it comes to these types of things. Heath is very well liked. X) )**_

**So, that is all. Hope to see everyone when the next chapter comes out! :D Even with school starting up again, I will definitely make sure to get the chapters done on time. Even if it costs me blood, sweat, and tears. X) Oh, and for those who read RDHS, SO SORRY FOR THE LATENESS! I PROMISE TO GET IT DONE ASAP! I had about 10 pages of it done when my computer crashed so I have to start ALL OVER! ;_; It will get done, though (eventually)!**


	18. Chapter 18

**I AM SO SORRY FOR THE LATENESS, EVERYONE! I really tried my best to get it done on time but I started working on this a day late and because of that I didn't leave myself enough time to get this done. Plus, I didn't realize this chapter would end up SO LONG! XP I thought this chapter would be the death of me! So... um... SOOOOOOOORRRRRYYYY! ;_; I hope this chapter was worth the wait!**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Fire Emblem or characters. I own Luna and another character who you will see in a few moments... :D**

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><p><span>Chapter 18:<span>

During our walk down the mountain Heath did let me down and I was able to remove the numbness from my legs. I have been walking by Serra so Erk could rest his ears. Plus, she is a good distraction from things. Like the fact that Hyperion is walking behind me. We are down the mountain and approaching closer to the palace. The sun has set already but the sky still has that bright glow of red. It truly is beautiful. Too bad I can't just stop and stare at it.

"Are you even listening to me?" Serra asks.

I turn to her a bit startled. "O-Oh, sorry. I was. Please continue."

Her hands got to her hips as she looks at me with doubt. I see the group slows down and stops moving. Confused I stop moving and look ahead. I turn to Serra apologetically before running ahead. When I reach the front I see Mark, Dart, and Guy standing in front of two people. I slip my way between Mark and Guy and look upon the two strangers. Immediately, my eyes widen open as I immediately recognize one of them.

Her long, pink hair is tied in a pony-tail as she stands there with one hand on her hip looking as tough and beautiful as the first time I've seen her at Port Badon.

"Kalei?" I ask. She turns to me looking curious. "It's you. You were one of the challengers from the arena."

"That's correct." She replies. She smirks looking at Guy. "I was the one who won that match."

I look at Guy to see him glance away crossing his arms in frustration. I giggle slightly while covering my mouth. I then finally look at the second person. It is a man with purplish/plum hair. In the light, however, it looks kind of pink. He has this tough glare on his face yet he looks bored at the same time. Carrying a large axe on his shoulder he looks scary. He turns to look at me. I flinch.

"Oh, right!" Dart says suddenly. I turn to him glad for the distraction. He is smiling while looking at the strange man. "This is Geitz! He's a great friend of mine!"

I glance at the man once more. He is glaring at Dart. "Yeah, yeah. No need to exaggerate."

I find myself giggling without meaning to. Geitz looks back at me glaring. My brother grips my shoulder smiling at me. He then looks at the two.

"What brings you here?" Mark asks.

Geitz turns to my brother shrugging. "I was bored. I thought I would go looking for Dart. I ended going to Port Badon and bumped into her." He explains pointing at Kalei.

She briefly looks at him before turning her attention to Mark. "When he mentioned a pirate named Dart I remembered Guy going on that pirate ship with them along with a large group of people." She explains. "So… that's how we ended up searching for you guys."

"What for?" my brother asks.

Kalei smiles. "We have come to join your group."

My brother simply nods. He stretches his hands out towards her with a kind smile on his face. "Welcome."

Kalei shakes his head. Grudgingly, Geitz shakes Mark's hand, too. This makes me smile. Two new people on our team. This should be fun. My brother's hand leaves my shoulder as he makes everyone move along. I somehow end up walking by Dart and Geitz on our way towards the castle. Listening to them talk, however, it really does seem like they are good friends; more than Geitz is willing to admit.

_**(Nighttime)**_

"This is the royal manse." Prince Eliwood says.

We are now standing at the entrance to the manse. Some people in our group have torches lit. The manse, however, is pitch black. No lights can be seen through the windows. It feels like a scary ghost place just looking at it. This can't be good.

"The lights have been doused." Lady Lyn says. "That's the sound of fighting. What's going on?"

"I don't know, but if they're still fighting, we might not be too late!" Lord Hector exclaims in a rush. He turns to Lord Eliwood. "Let's hurry, Eliwood!"

"We have to get inside!" Lord Eliwood exclaims. "We have to protect the prince!"

We all agree and everyone immediately gets to work. We are split in half. I am going with the group that is going through the left entrance. Matthew quickly finds me. This feels routine by now. Anytime there is a situation where I might not be able to see that well he is there to help me out. I don't think I can trust anyone else so well when it comes to directions and where I need to shoot if I'm in doubt.

We rush ahead to the door which Matthew quickly picks open. To meet us on the other side of the door is an axe-wielder. Luckily Kalei was there to kill him with her sword. I spot a mage and quickly grab my arrow to aim. I shoot and it ends up going through the mage's head. This makes me flinch. It was kind of an accidental head shot but, you know, it works.

Out of the doorway Matthew pulls me to the side so the others can run through. Another axe-wielder is standing close by ready to attack. Guy takes care of him no problem, of course. We all rush ahead. I find myself ahead of everyone somehow. I have this feeling like there is something I need to do.

"Luna!" Matthew exclaims.

I turn around and he grabs my arm pulling me back. Just then a flash of light hits the ground where I was just standing moments ago. My eyes widen in shock. I can't believe I almost got hit by that. I look around and there is a magic-user. Matthew lets go of my arm so I can grab an arrow and shoot. I release the arrow and it flies through the magic-user's stomach. They fall on their knees but not quite dead. Matthew rushes up and finishes the person off with his knives.

"Thanks." I say to him.

"You got to be more careful." He says.

I nod. "I know. I'm sorry."

He smiles. "Let's keep moving."

I smile back. "Right."

We rush ahead some more. We both turn down the hall and spot a girl with short green hair. My eyes widen. It's Nino! She's the girl that was up with Sonia and Jaffar at the mountain fortress! The girl turns to us and her eyes turn wide with shock.

"You!" she exclaims rushing up to me. "Are you from the palace?" Before I can respond she continues talking. "The prince is in his room! Save him! I'll take care of anything that happens out here!"

She turns to run when I grab her arm suddenly.

"Wait!" I exclaim. She looks at me with surprise on her face. "You're name is Nino, right?" I ask.

Nino's eyes widen as she exclaims, "What? How-?"

"Me and my friends were spying on you." I say a bit apologetically. I shake my head. "Look, there is no time to explain. You should get out of here. We will take care of things."

"No!" she exclaims. "I'm not leaving without Jaffar!"

My eyes widen. Is she waiting for Jaffar? That man is very dangerous! Then things start clicking in my head. I thought he was acting different around her. So maybe it wasn't just me thinking those things. It could be true that… I smile gently.

"Stay by me." I say. "We'll go find him and get out of here."

Nino smiles brightly looking super happy. "Thank you!" she exclaims.

I let go of her arm and Matthew turns to look at me. "I'll be right back." He says. "I'm going to look for some chests."

I nod. "Make it quick, okay?"

He smirks. "Of course."

With that he vanishes. The others start catching up. Good, I have some back up now. I take Nino's hand and lead her forward. I notice how for a few seconds her hands felt tense. Then, she slowly wrapped her hand around mine. I smile down at her trying to keep her reassured. She smiles at me with such kindness. To think that she is Sonia's daughter… it just doesn't seem possible.

As we run down the hall I spot a sword-wielder heading our way. I push Nino behind me to protect her and ready my arrow. Once he is close enough I shoot the arrow. It flies through the air and digs deep into his chest. He falls over to the side and I hear the sword clatter against the floor very loudly. I cover my ears due to the loud noise.

"Ouch." I hear Nino say.

I turn to her to see her ears are covered, too. I giggle uncovering my ears. "Sorry. Let's keep moving, okay?"

She smiles at me also uncovering her ears. "Okay."

"Watch out!" Matthew calls from behind me.

I turn to see a thief running in our direction. Again, I pull Nino behind me and attack. I am able to shoot him through the shoulder but somehow that doesn't make him stop running. That's when Nino surprises me. She pulls out a spell book and chants a few words. Then a bunch of fire comes out and attacks the thief. The thief yells out in pain as he gets burned. He falls over and cringes for a while. I think that was Elfire that Nino attacked with. I remember back in the desert when I got hit by that same spell. I shiver at the thought. That was painful. I quickly shoot the guy through the chest to make sure he is dead.

I turn to Nino with a grateful smile on my face. "Thanks."

She smiles. "No problem."

It's hard to imagine a sweet young girl could learn to attack with magic like that. Matthew runs up to the dead thief and swipes him of whatever stuff he was carrying. I raise an eyebrow watching him. When he is done he looks at me. He shrugs.

"He doesn't need it." He says. He crosses his arms. "Besides, I called those chests. It's his mistake for opening them before me."

I shake my head laughing. "Alright, whatever you say."

A few people on our group run past us. Nino, Matthew and I follow behind. To the right I see some stairs that lead into a large room. I turn to Matthew and motion for him to go ahead. I run into the room with Nino behind. Automatically I see a shaman trying to attack a little boy with blond hair. That must be the prince I saw before at the palace garden.

I prep my arrow and aim at the shaman's back. The prince glances at me and his eyes widen. The shaman notices and turns. I let go of my arrow and it flies through his chest. He silently falls backwards. I sigh with relief. That was very close.

I look at the prince smiling gently. "It's alright." I say to him. "We are here to protect you."

He silently nods still looking slightly shocked. He is wielding a sword but I'm sure he is not quite skilled yet. Not against all of these people that are ambushing, anyway. I turn around to notice Nino standing there. She is looking at the prince sadly. I place a hand on her shoulder. She looks up at me. I keep my smile up.

"Let's go find Jaffar, okay?" I ask.

She nods. With one last glance at the prince she walks forward. I walk next to her to make sure no one attacks. Guy, Priscilla, and Dart stay by the entrance to the room to make sure no other enemies could get in. Nino takes a hold of my lower arm making me smile. I guide her forward to where the others are fighting. I see Legault exit a room. More stuff to find?

"Jaffar!" Nino suddenly exclaims.

I look down at her beaming face before looking up and ahead once more. Only a few feet away is the assassin in dark clothes but his dark red hair is still visible. She glances over at us. I can tell that Jaffar looks a bit surprised.

"Nino?" he asks. He jogs over closer to us. Nino has let go of my arm by this point. "I told you to flee."

"No, these people came and helped me!" Nino exclaims motioning at me and the others. He glances at me and I nervously wave trying to look natural. "Hurry, Jaffar! Come with me!"

He looks back at Nino. "Go. There's no need to save a life without worth."

My eyes widen. I look down at Nino to see her looking so sad. "Jaffar…"

"I am a corpse." He says. I look back at him. "I have been dead since the day I was born. Leave me."

My eyes are still wide as I look at him. How could he think that about himself? How could ANYONE think of themselves like that? He might have done some bad things… but still! You don't say you are a corpse! Everyone's life is worth something!

"No!" Nino exclaims. Her sudden exclamation makes me jump and look at her. I place my hand over my chest. That was startling to say the least. "If you're not coming, then I'm staying!" Nino starts shaking her head closing her eyes tight. "I do not want you to die, Jaffar!"

I look at her sadly.

"Nino…" Jaffar says.

I look at Jaffar to see he looks troubled, too. I look at him surprised. I never thought an assassin like him could be so kind towards a girl. I smile slightly. I place a hand on her head and she looks up at me startled. I look over at Jaffar.

"I'll protect her." I tell him. "You just worry about fighting the other guys."

He looks between the both of us and glares at me slightly. Finally he says, "Fine."

Jaffar runs in the opposite direction to kill a mage that was just about to attack Lowen. I look at Nino to see her smiling at me.

"Thank you." She says.

I pat her head. "Anytime." I look around. "Let's get out of here. This isn't exactly a safe place to stand around."

Nino nods in agreement. I look around to see if anyone needs help. However, everything seems pretty calm. There are a few enemies here and there but everyone had them under control. I take Nino's hand and pull her back in the direction of the prince's room. That's where they needed help. There are a few knights trying to get past Guy and Dart while Priscilla makes sure they are staying healed.

Nino attacks a knight using Elfire. He does receive damage but he doesn't die. He turns towards us and points his lance at us. I grab an arrow and aim. I notice a gap between his chest armor and his head armor. His neck is open. I let go of the arrow. Luckily, it is aimed right and makes it through the gap of his armor and goes through his neck. His eyes widen in surprise as he falls over on his side dead.

The lights return to the manse shortly after and the enemy retreats. Our group rushes outside so we can re-group at the entrance. Nino stays by my side the entire time. That is, until we finally spot Jaffar again. She beams as she rushes over.

"Jaffar!" she exclaims.

Jaffar turns to look at her. She stops in front of him panting slightly.

His says, "Nino…"

"I'm… glad you're well…" she says placing a hand on her chest.

I walk up to them smiling. I'm glad these two are alright. I can definitely tell that these two worry about each other a lot. It makes me happy to see that they didn't get hurt. Suddenly I notice that Lord Eliwood is close by. Jaffar and Nino look away from each other also spotting the lord.

"Why do you not kill me?" Jaffar asks.

"If we did that, Nino might die as well." Lord Eliwood asks.

Lady Lyn also appears. "You didn't take the prince's life." She explains, "So we won't take yours. It's that simple."

He glares at them while Nino is still standing close to him. "So naïve. Do you know how many of your friends I've killed?"

My eyes widen at those cold words.

"You monster!" Lord Hector yells angrily. "I'll-"

"Hector!" Lord Eliwood yells grabbing him. "Calm yourself!"

He pants a lot glaring at the assassin. Jaffar's face doesn't change. Finally, Lord Hector says in frustration, "Bah!"

Lord Hector takes a few steps back crossing his arms and looks in a different direction. I see Florina standing close by watching him with concern.

"Some sins cannot be forgiven, but now…" Lord Eliwood says. I turn back to the group to pay attention. "We need all the help we can get to defeat Nergal."

Jaffar stays silent. Nino looks up at him with concern.

"Jaffar…" Lady Lyn says. "You were planning on throwing your life away, correct?" My eyes widen at her question. That could be true… He did say that his life wasn't worth anything. "If you've come to regret so many of your past actions, then fight with us."

"Regret?" Jaffar shakes his head. "Such emotions mean nothing…"

"Jaffar!" Nino scolds looking at him.

He pauses looking down at her. After a moment he looks back at the two lords. "If you want me to… I will… do it."

Nino beams smiling. "Jaffar!" she exclaims happily.

I smile, too. That means that the both of them can travel together with us! I hope to talk with Nino more. She really does seem like a sweet girl and she has changed Jaffar for the better.

"That's good, isn't it, Nino?" Lady Lyn asks smiling.

"Mm!" she exclaims nodding. "Thank you! Thank you!"

Lord Hector storms away. My eyes widen as I watch him leave. Florina watches him leave with eyes wide open.

"Ah!" Lord Eliwood exclaims in surprise. "Hector…"

She hesitates for only the slightest moment before jogging after him. We all leave the manse grounds and head back to camp.

_**(Later)**_

Things have finally settled down. Some people of the group have gone straight to their tents to catch some shut-eye. It has been a very long day and night. Lots of fighting and things happening that were very shocking. Lord Eliwood and Lady Lyn have grabbed Nino and pulled her to the side so they could talk to her privately. Probably to talk about what they overheard back at the mountain fortress.

I am in my black paints with grey top and my hair has been tied in a braid with Rebecca's help. I am walking along the grass with my bare feet. It feels cold but I welcome it. My feet are very sore and somehow the cold makes it feel better. I walk a little bit outside of camp when I see someone sitting on the ground looking at the sky. After looking for a little bit I realize its Legault. My eyes widen. This is the perfect chance to finally talk to him.

"Can I help you?" I suddenly hear him ask.

I jump slightly placing my hand on my chest. "I-I'm sorry." I say quickly.

He turns to look at me. He smirks. He pats the spot beside him. Slowly, I walk over and sit next to him. I look up at the sky to see that the stars are pretty visible. They twinkle in the sky forming different images. I turn to look at him. He seems to be gazing at the stars but the usual humor in his eyes is not there. They seem totally serious. He looks at me.

"I'm guessing you want that story to be told, huh?" Legault asks.

"If you don't mind." I reply.

He sighs smiling. "I said I would tell you so I'm going to keep my word." He looks up at the sky. "Back when I was in the Black Fang I was an assassin. My job was to remove those that were thinking of abandoning." My eyes widen. He turns to me. "You get hated pretty easily."

"I'm sorry." I say.

Legault smiles. "It was my job. I liked the old days. Our leader was like a father figure."

I pause thinking about it. "But then Sonia came." I say.

He nods. "That's when things slowly changed. The people, the assignments we got, basically how everything worked."

"So what about the person I remind you of?" I ask.

Legault looks forward. His eyes become gentle and a smile spreads across his face. "There was a woman I worked with for years by the name of Aesha." His smile vanishes. "One day she made a mistake. Because of it she lost her skill at killing. Her career as an assassin was over." He glares at the ground. "She shouldn't have to die like that." My eyes widen. Pain fills my chest. I have a bad feeling of where this story is going. "She could have lived in some village somewhere…" He looks at the sky. "She should have had many days of happiness ahead of her. But…" Legault holds his hand in front of his face and stares at it like it was an unknown thing. "I, with this hand, I… took her life."

He turns to me and I can see him freeze. That's when I realize for the first time that tears are streaming down my face. I sniffle trying to wipe the tears away. They just keep coming. I look at the ground unable to look at him.

"Th-That must have b-been awful." I stutter out.

A hand rests on my shoulder.

"You remind me of her so much." I hear Legault say.

I shake my head. "I-I'm so s-sorry."

"There is no need to apologize." I look up at him to see a sad smile on his face. "I do want to thank you, though."

Still a mess I continue to wipe my eyes. I look at him confused. "Wh-What for?"

"For listening."

Legault wraps his arms around me gently patting my back. I shut my eyes tightly. It really must have been terrible what he went through. To kill someone he knew and trusted. That may have been why he left the Black Fang.

After a minute or two I finally find the strength to stand up and stop crying. He stands up as well. I shake my head.

"I'm sorry for that." I say feeling embarrassed. I place a hand on my cheek feeling the warmth there.

"I just hope you're okay." He says. "I have a feeling a few people might want to kill me."

I look at him confused and surprised. "What do you mean?"

He chuckles. "Your brother is very protective of you." I laugh thinking about it. "Plus, I have noticed Heath is always worried about you."

I stop and my eyes widen. "Heath?" I ask.

Legault nods. "It's true."

I look at the ground. No… It couldn't be… I mean, he is nice but… I can't help but feel scared around him. Not because of the person he is. It's the fact of wyverns. I don't want to be scared. I really don't. I look up at Legault.

"I'm heading back." I say. "I need to see how… my brother is doing."

He smirks. "Bye."

I wave before jogging away. I enter camp and look around. There is a fire burning by the center. That's where everyone is mainly going to be. I continue jogging forward when I hear something to the right. I look and notice that's where the animals are being kept. I walk forward and see two people are standing there.

After a good look I see its Priscilla and Heath. They are talking about something but I can't hear what they're saying. I feel a sudden pain in my chest. I don't know why. It doesn't make sense. I quickly turn around before they can notice me standing there. I continue jogging down towards the fire and see Mark sitting by it and Farina is not too far away. I kneel by him.

"Hi, Luna." He says smiling.

I smile at him. "Hi."

He looks at me with concern. "Your eyes look puffy…"

I wave my hand in front of my face. "It's nothing." Mark raises an eyebrow. Quickly, I ask, "How do you and Farina know each other?"

Farina turns towards us and smiles big. "It was hilarious!" she exclaims.

My eyes widen slightly from the surprise but I smile anyway. "Oh, really?"

She nods excitedly. "I was flying on my pegasus one day looking for a job when I saw a green blob on the ground." I turn to my brother. He is blushing looking in the other direction. "Curious, I fly down to see that it's a scrawny guy that fainted." She finishes pointing at Mark.

"Hey." My brother cuts in quickly. "I'm not scrawny. I hadn't eaten for a few days."

"What?" I exclaim. "I told you to always carry food with you!"

He looks at me sheepishly. "I didn't get enough from the last town…"

I shake my head a few times. "You always forget to eat since you always travel and study your books."

"Yeah, so he's lucky I found him." Farina says laughing.

He looks at her. "You made me pay you."

"Well, duh. You think my services are for free?" she asks as if it's the most obvious thing ever.

"If you are helping someone out usually it's out of kindness. Not expecting payment from it." My brother says matter-of-factly. I giggle.

She places her hands on her hips. "You are lucky I allowed you to pay me not by money."

My eyes widen. "Huh?" I look at my brother. "What did you…?"

"He helped me find work." Farina answers for him.

Mark nods and I sigh with relief. For a second there I was thinking the worst. After that Farina continues blabbing about the two of them traveling together for a bit amount of time. For some reason Farina had to return home so that's how they parted. My brother traveled a bit more until eventually meeting Lord Eliwood and bringing us to where we are today.

After listening to the chats I felt better. I was also feeling tired. I retired to my tent and lied down. Thinking of Heath and Priscilla looking relaxed with each other sends pain through my chest. I really don't understand why. I hang out with friends all the time. Just seeing those two, though… I shake my head hoping to get rid of the thoughts. I close my eyes and soon drift off to sleep.

_**(The next day)**_

"My apologies for the wait." A man says. "The queen will see you now."

"Very well." Lord Pent replies.

We are now inside the palace and I am standing by my brother. I realize I probably won't be able to go in but I still want to be here. Mark's fever has gone away but I still worry that he might be weak.

"Let us proceed." Lady Louise says.

"The queen of Bern…" Lord Hector says. "Even if it is a private audience, courtly niceties aren't my strong suit."

Lady Lyn adds, "Mine, either."

Lord Eliwood hesitates slightly before saying, "Let's go."

Mark turns to me. "You wait here. I'll be right back out."

"Will you be alright?" I ask worriedly.

He takes my hand and grips it slightly. He smiles at me reassuringly. "I'll be just fine."

I smile nodding. He lets go of my hand. All of them except for me go through the large doors to enter the room. I lean against the wall and stare at it. To think that the queen of Bern is on the other side... That's so cool! Too bad I don't get to see her. It's a private audience so only few can enter. At least my brother gets to meet her. He can tell me what she is like.

I feel like only a few moments have passed when suddenly the doors fly wide open and they step out.

"Wait right there!" I hear a woman yell. "We are not finished!" Mark grabs my hand and pulls me away. "Someone!" The yelling continues as we rush down the hall. "Someone stop those insolent children! Someone!"

We eventually make it out of the castle and stop. I look at my brother with totally confusion on my face.

"What happened?" I ask.

Mark scratches the back of his head. "Let's just say we got the queen angry."

My eyes widen. "How?"

"Um… she didn't really react the way she should have when she heard about assassins in the manse."

I gasp. "She wasn't worried that the prince might have gotten killed?" He nods. I cover my mouth. "That's bad!"

"Well, that's that, huh?" I hear Lord Hector asks.

I look over to see Lord Eliwood looking guilty. Did he say something to the queen? "Lord Pent, Lady Louise, I ruined a perfectly good opportunity. I'm terribly sorry."

Lord Pent shakes his head. "You said nothing that I did not agree with. Do not think long on it."

Lady Louise nods in agreement. "Lady Hellene has changed. Before she got married, she was a kind woman who wanted to be a good wife and a good mother."

"She and the king are ill matched." Lord Pent adds. "She has suffered much. And now, she is obsessed with the succession. Such a sad life…"

I see Lady Lyn looking sad. "His parents are alive. Yet they're both awful. I feel so sorry for him."

Lord Eliwood still looks guilty. "Even if it was just, I should have left it unsaid. I angered the queen, and in doing so lost the only aid we had in Bern."

I look at him sadly. The poor guy. He must really be taking it hard. He shouldn't feel bad, though. He's very honest and knows when to say things and what to say. I'm sure what he said was good.

"It's over and done with." Lord Hector says. "No sense worrying about it now. Let's consider our next course of action." We are about to move on when Lord Hector suddenly stops. "Wait!" I look to see that there is a person coming our way. "Who's there?"

"Go no farther." A woman asks.

It's a lady with beautiful blond hair with seriousness on her face. She is wearing a gorgeous red gown that flows down to the knees. My eyes widen. Is this…?

"Queen Hellene?" Lord Hector exclaims.

"What are you…" Lord Eliwood pauses. "Where are your guards?"

"Your name…" Queen Hellene says. "It is Eliwood, yes?" She hands some things over to him. "Take this book and this seal. My reward to you."

"Your Majesty?" Lord Eliwood questions while hesitantly taking the items from her.

"This book contains the road to the Shrine of Seals." She explains. "The seal was a wedding present from Count Reglay from Etruria. I was saving it for Zephiel, but… I believe at this time that you need it more. Furthermore, your path will remain clear for the next three days. No matter what happens during that time, Bern's soldiers will not move." She frowns. "I can make no promises about the king's own troops, though."

Lord Eliwood shakes his head. "You've done more than enough. You have my heartfelt gratitude. But, Your Majesty…" He looks at her with much confusion on her face. "Why all of this for us?"

"I want to thank you, not as a queen, but as a mother." Queen Hellene says while looking sad. "For saving my son, I am forever in your debt." I smile covering my mouth so I don't accidently say anything out loud. Seriousness returns to her face. "Now, you should get going."

Without another word she turns and leaves. We all watch as she leaves. She seems like a strong woman. It's sad that she goes through troubles. I'm glad that she really does care about her son, though. It's a good thing. For a moment I thought she would be a heartless person. I'm glad she isn't.

"Queen Hellene." I hear Lord Eliwood whisper.

Lord Hector looks at the stuff. "So the book is a map, but what is this… 'seal'?"

"This is a…" Lord Eliwood examines the seal. "Heaven seal. To receive something so valuable…"

"She really listened to you, didn't she?" Lord Hector asks smiling. "Let's take them and go!"

"She listened to us, didn't she?" Lord Eliwood asks also smiling.

Lady Lyn steps by them smiling. "That's right. All of us!"

"I guess…" Lord Hector says crossing his arms.

"Let's make for the Shrine of Seals." Lord Eliwood announces. "Once we make it there, something's bound to happen!"

With that we all set out. We had already packed up the camp earlier. As we walk on I stay by Mark. I look behind me and a bit back I see Heath with his wyvern. Last night flashes through my head. I look forward quickly before he notices my gaze. I stare at my feet feeling sad. I hope something happens. I could use a good distraction right about now.

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><p><strong>That's it! I will try super hard to make sure the next chapter is not this late! Promise! O.o7 So... let me thank the following reviewers!<strong>

_**SuperNova23 (Thank you very much. Hopefully my computer will get fixed soon... *crosses fingers* Anyway, I'm glad you liked the chapter and I hope this one turned out good, too. :D)**_

_**patattack (Thanks for the review and your help. It's good to ask you questions whenever I'm in a tight pinch. ^_^ Oh, and I FINALLY got the story out with Farina and Mark! :D *cheers* lolz)**_

_**Meru-64 (Everyone hates Sonia. -_- I'm so happy for the up-coming chapter, though. :D *evil laughter* Anyway... XD Luna IS adorable and I am not spilling ANYTHING about couples! ;) )**_

_**Cata-nee (It's always good to hear from you! :D Like I told you before, FE will forever have a place in my heart. ^^ I miss your old fanfics but I know once I get the chance to check your new one out that I will like it a lot. X) )**_

_**ExposedWiresExposedVeins (It's alright! I'm just glad you have time to review. ^_^ I'm very happy to hear that I'm improving! :D That makes me SUPER happy! I feel like all these stories I type are actually worth it. :D Sorry you didn't like that one part back with Matthew's emotions. I know he bottles things up but Luna has her way with people... ;) )**_

_**Hyralc (The mystery of the annonimous reviewer has been solved! XD Anyway... Don't worry. I do plan on adding Harken in here pretty soon. I think he will be in the chapter after the up-coming one. ^^)**_

**That's it. Oh, and I'm really happy to have 70 reviews for this! *cheers, jumps, and claps* I hope by the end of this story I will have (or be very close to having) 100 reviews. It seems like a lot but I was able to make it with RDHS so I kind of like that goal. XD One last thing. I write on this website called . It's an awesome site for writers to just type up stories. They are usually not fanfics but I have seen a few on that site. I know I put previews of mine up on my account. If you are interested in reading my stuff just look up Naomi Sproule. So, with that, hope to see you all Saturday! :D Sayonara for now! ^_^**


	19. Chapter 19

**I'm sorry for the lateness once more! I started working on this late so it is getting updated late... again! ;_; I really am trying my best! Plus, I think I am coming down with something. o.o My head hurts a lot and my nose is gross. XP Oh, and for those who are waiting for RDHS... I'M SUPER SORRY! I promise I have not forgotten about the story or suddenly decided to discontinue it! It is being worked on as we speak! *bows* Anyway, please enjoy this (late) chapter!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Fire Emblem. I own my OCs Luna, Kalei, and half Mark (since his character is in the game).**

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><p><span>Chapter 19:<span>

"Hey, Luna?" Nino asks.

"Yeah?" I reply.

"Um…" She twiddles her fingers together seeming unsure. "Did your mom… ever hold your hand?" she asks.

I look at her confused. "Well, yeah."

Nino looks at the ground sadly. "My mom never did."

My eyes widen. "Never?" She shakes her head. "How about hugs?"

She looks up at me. "She doesn't like showing public affection."

I look at her with sadness. "I'm sorry." I say. I suddenly smile at her. "If you ever want a hug from me I'll gladly give you one!"

She smiles brightly laughing. "Thank you."

That's when Jaffar comes and stands on the other side of Nino. I glance at him and he glances at me. Whether he is nice to her or not, he has these very intense eyes. I'm a strange person. They scare me but at the same time they don't. Nino notices him and smiles up at him. Of course he doesn't smile back. He doesn't have many expressions except for maybe surprise, very well hidden kindness (towards Nino, of course), and the death glare. That's the scariest one.

Nino links arms with me resting her arm against my arm. "I'm really happy."

I smile looking down at her. "That's good to hear."

She hugs my arm tightly. "We are friends, right?"

"Of course." I respond very quickly.

This makes her giggle. "I'm glad."

I giggle as well. The rest of the afternoon and evening Nino and I just talk. It was just about anything, really. A little bit of her past, a little bit of mine, what food we like, what we don't like, what was our happiest moment so far, what made us run in a corner and hide, and other stuff. It was just nice getting to know her. Jaffar stayed to listen to it all. I don't know what runs through his mind at all. It was strange to have him listen in but there is no way I could have asked him to leave. I probably would be dead. It's silly to think that but I don't think I'm too far off from what might actually happen.

It's late at night now and we have found a village. We were actually able to stay in an inn. It wasn't that big so some of us had to set up camp, anyway. I'm one of the people that get to stay in the inn. The animals get to stay in a stable. This gives me an idea. In my room I am sharing with Nino, Rebecca, and Florina. Serra has stopped by to visit us along with Farina, Fiora, and Lyn. Our room is becoming quite crowded. I walk over to Florina who was sitting on her bed and tap her shoulder. She looks at me.

"What is it?" she asks.

Pleadingly I ask, "Can you come with me to the stable?"

She frowns in confusion. "What do you plan on doing?"

I gulp. "Visit Hyperion."

Her eyes widen. She probably knows why I'm going to do this. Hesitantly, she nods. I smile. We slip out of the room without the other girls paying much attention. They are too busy talking about other things, anyway. I'm sure they are excited to talk to cute little Nino, as well. We exit the inn and make our way down to the stable. I clutch her arm feeling nervous.

Florina smiles. "It will be alright." She says.

I nod trying to convince myself that. She gently guides me in. Right away I see her pegasus, Huey, along with the others and horses. At the end there is Hyperion lying down. Florina pets her pegasus before joining me over to where the green wyvern is. My heart is pounding like crazy. I don't know if I can go through this after all.

I stop. "Florina…"

She smiles at me again. "It's alright. Nothing to be scared of."

I glance at the wyvern. Florina guides me until we are not in front of the wyvern. It doesn't move. I don't think it knows we are here yet. I gulp.

"H-Hyperion?" I ask hesitantly.

The wyvern twitches slightly. It moves its head up and stares at me. I freeze in place. I twitch when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn to Florina. She smiles and nods. I look back at Hyperion. It comes closer until his head is right in front of me. My eyes widen at the closeness. I gulp and raise my hand. When I rest my hand on the wyvern's head I feel panic shoot through me. Flashbacks speedily run through my head.

"I-I can't." I say.

I quickly remove my hand. Hyperion stares at me. I look at Florina shaking my head. The flashbacks are still in my head. I run out of the stable.

"A-Ah! Wait!" Florina exclaims.

I don't stop. I keep running down. The faster I run the blurrier the images in my head get. I see Heath walking towards the stable. Pain shoots through me. Crap. He sees me.

"Luna?" Heath asks.

I shut my eyes tightly and run past him. Is it just me or do I feel tears forming? I really hope it isn't tears. I have no energy to cry. I open my eyes and the inn is ahead. Raven is leaning against the wall with Lucius and Priscilla close by.

I slow down running into some trees so they don't see me. I make my way to the back of the building. It's darker in the back so I have a bit of privacy. I lean against the wall and slide down until I am sitting. I hug my legs close to myself hiding my face.

_**(Later)**_

"Luna!" I hear someone call. "Luna!"

I don't move due to exhaustion. Who is that? That voice is familiar.

"Luna?" another voice calls out. I know that voice, too.

"Answer us, Luna!" a third voice calls.

I stretch my legs out feeling the stiffness within them. I wipe my eyes to rid them of fogginess. Did I really fall asleep? I have no idea how late it is. Where am I again? I don't remember. I feel so drowsy. I hear the sounds of running footsteps across the grass. It's really close. Suddenly the noise stops by me.

"I found her!" the person calls.

I turn to the person. It's Guy. He's the third voice I heard when I woke up. Two other footsteps can be heard running towards my direction. No, wait. Three. I look at my lap. Soon the three footsteps stop and surround me. I drowsily look up once more. That's when I see Mark, Florina, and Matthew. Mark's the first voice and Florina the second. Matthew looks like he has intense eyes. Florina kneels in front of me.

"Are you alright?" she exclaims.

I nod. I can't seem to find my voice. Mark kneels by me placing a hand on my shoulder. I glance at him. Sadness crosses his face. Besides that he smiles.

"You look tired."

I nod again. Mark looks to the side. I follow his gaze to see Matthew is closer to me. He picks me up bridal style. My eyes widen slightly but soon I feel how tired I really am. I cover my mouth and yawn. I blink my eyes a few times. I look at Guy to see him looking at me. I would say something but, again, I can't find my voice. Instead, I just settle with a small smile. He nods. I close my eyes.

_**(Later)**_

A certain noise makes me wake up. I open my eyes rubbing them. It's dark so it's still late at night. I soon am able to see shadows within the room. The window is open to let the moonlight spill in. That's when I fully realize that I am in the room at the inn that I'm sharing with three other girls. I then hear a door shutting.

I sit up from my make-shift bed. Since there are only two beds so Nino and Rebecca are sleeping on them. I look around the room. That's when I notice Nino is not in her bed. That's strange. I stand up and feel uneasiness right away. I don't feel comfortable. I look around and grab my bow and quiver. The uneasiness goes away. I quietly leave the room.

Outside the inn I see a flash of green hair in the distance. That's possibly Nino. I jog up to see if I can catch up with her. By the entrance of the town I see her standing there. She seems to be looking at someone else. Is that who I think it is? I do see the familiar red hair. I sneak up slowly and hide behind a tree so I can hear.

"The mountain fortress has been discovered, so… I think she's in the other place." Nino says.

"The Water Temple?" Jaffar asks. She nods. He pauses. "What about them?"

"I haven't told them." She smiles. "They're all good people, so they would know I'm not lying." Her smile falters. "And yet… I want to see Mother. I want to hear the truth from her. So…"

"Nino… Sentiment will not protect you from that woman." Jaffar says a bit harshly.

"I know that!" Nino exclaims. "But she's my mother! I'm her flesh and blood. She's the only mother I have!"

My eyes widen. So she is planning to see Sonia? That is dangerous! That woman is so cold! I glance over at Jaffar. An unreadable expression crosses his face.

"That is something I cannot understand…" he says.

Nino's eyes widen. "Ah! I'm sorry… I didn't mean…"

"It's nothing." Jaffar says quickly.

She looks at him guiltily. "Jaffar, I truly am sorry."

He glares at her with determination within his eyes. "I will not let you go alone. If you go, I go with you. Okay?"

"Jaffar…" she says.

Nino smiles nodding. They both quickly leave together. It's quiet for a moment. I think of what to do. Should I follow them or let them go on their own? I shake my head quickly. The answer is easy to choose for me. I hear voices behind me. Ignoring the voices I leave from my hiding space and go to follow them.

At one point I lost them when they were in a large thicket of trees. When I make it through I realize that there is a large building right there. This must be the place. I don't see them around so they must be inside. I take a few deep breaths. The large building is beautiful and well built but it sends chills down my spine.

When I enter I notice tall pillars that support it. The tiles on the ground are purple. In fact, everything seems to have something of purple on it. What is with this place? I know people can have a favorite color but this seems extreme.

I suddenly hear a loud scream. My eyes widen. Who in the world was that? It sounded like someone was screaming bloody murder. I jog ahead through the place to see if I could pinpoint the voice. As I get the feeling that I'm closer I hear laughing. That sounds like Sonia! I quicken my pace.

I reach an opening to see lots of purple water with paths leading to different sized platforms. There are also pillars here but they are in the water. I look ahead and see that Sonia, Jaffar, and Nino are there.

"The father, the mother, and then the child I carried… After they revealed all of their secrets… And I slaughtered them with these very hands!" Sonia exclaims.

My eyes widen and shivers run down my spine. She sounded so proud when she said those words. She definitely is a cold, evil person.

"I… I…" Nino looks pale and taken shocked. "I'm not your daughter?"

My eyes widen even more. Wait… what? What did she just say?

"There were two children," Sonia continues, "a boy and a girl. One, the mother fought fiercely to save. She held her daughter tight as I killed her. That girl, Nino, was you!"

"No!" Nino exclaims.

My hand covers my mouth. Poor girl! To find out all of this in such a harsh way! Well, I'm glad Nino is not related to her. Nino is such a sweet person compared to that woman. But this is still all so awful. I can't imagine what it must be like to be in her shoes.

"You were still a mewling little whelp, but we took you with us. Lord Nergal thought you might be useful, so he let you live. I hated the very thought of it, but it was Lord Nergal's wish that I raise you as my daughter." There was a pause. That's when Sonia gets angry and starts yelling, "We were so wrong about you! Stupid and useless beyond all reason! A worthless piece of offal! All you were was in the way!"

Nino stays silent. This makes me feel so bad for her. I wish I could… Oh, wait. I can do something.

"So that's why you wanted her dead." Jaffar says standing by Nino. "You're inhuman. Your soul is black and devoid of warmth."

Sonia's eyes widen looking at him. "I never expected to hear such things from you, Jaffar! Once, you killed without hesitation at Lord Nergal's command. What happened to the man all feared, my Angel of Death?"

I take slow steps forward. None of them glance over at me. That's good. I'm close to the pathway.

"Nino has changed me." Jaffar replies. "I am no longer Nergal's killing engine." That's so sweet! Jaffar, you are a really good person (well, for Nino)! "For Nino's sake… Sonia, you must die." He pulls out his knife stepping in front of Nino. "And I will kill you!"

"Jaffar!" Nino exclaims.

"Stay back." Jaffar tells Nino. "I will take care of this woman."

"Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" she laughs really loudly. I am now across the pathway. Nino spots me and her eyes grow wide. I put my finger over my mouth to tell her to be quiet. She hesitantly nods. She quickly looks back at Jaffar and Sonia. "Stay back!" Sonia repeats. Nino takes a few steps back towards me. "How rich! How noble! So, shall I pass judgment on you, as the Black Fang must with traitors?" she asks. "Ha ha ha!" Nino is now beside me. I raise my bow and prep the arrow. I am at her head. "I sentence you to death! Prepare to be punished!"

Sonia spots me. She raises her hands holding a blue book open. Jaffar glances back and his eyes widen slightly spotting me. Crap. I have to shoot soon.

"I won't allow that!" someone yells. We all turn to see the group arrive. Eliwood exclaims, "Nino! Jaffar! Are you okay?"

"Luna!" Mark calls.

"Bah." Lord Hector says. "Look at the trouble you've caused!"

"We're companions now." Lady Lyn says. "You mustn't forget that!"

"Everyone…" I hear Nino say. I turn towards her to see her eyes are wide. She also looks a bit happy.

"Ha ha ha ha ha!" Sonia laughs loudly. This makes me turn my attention towards her again. "Such sweet friends, Nino… Sorry to cut short your little reunion. Ha ha… I won't let you get away." She yells, "To a man, you will all die!"

Everything starts shaking. My eyes widen in surprise.

"Hm?" Lady Lyn asks. "Wha-? Eek!"

"Lyndis!" Lord Eliwood exclaims. "Look out! This way!"

I watch as Jaffar speedily makes his way over to Nino. At the same time I feel arms wrap around me. Wait! Who…? A bright light flashes making me shut my eyes tightly. After a moment I open my eyes. The pathways are gone and I'm no longer on the small platform. I look behind me to see that Legault was the one that grabbed me. My eyes widen and he smirks.

"You're safe." He says.

I nod. "Thank you."

He let's go of me. I feel myself relax.

"Ha ha ha…" Sonia laughs. I look at the small platform to see that she has re-appeared. "You are the sinners who hurt my Lord Nergal. I will not let you die swiftly."

"Whoa! This place is filling with water!" Lord Hector exclaims.

"The path vanished…" Lord Eliwood says. "This water prevents us from moving forward or back."

"Nino! Jaffar!" Lady Lyn exclaims. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah! We're fine!" Nino replies back smiling widely.

Mark appears beside me. "Luna, you okay?" he asks.

I smile at him. "I'm fine. Don't worry."

He sighs with relief.

"I'll create some paths for you, so please keep coming." Sonia says. I turn my attention back to her. "Of course, you can stay where you are if you like. I care not, so long as you die in pain and fear. You can't escape from the grave that's waiting for you, though."

With that she vanishes. My eyes are slightly wide. How is this going to work? I feel nervous about all of these paths and stuff. The water seems a bit scary, too. Suddenly two paths appear. Maybe that's how it's going to work. How long will they stay up, though? That's what I don't know about.

"I'm sorry, everyone!" Nino exclaims. I turn towards her. "All of this, it's…" She sniffles. "It's all… my…"

"Nino!" Lady Lyn exclaims standing by her. "Calm down." She smiles. "I told you, didn't I? We came because we're friends. There's no need to apologize."

Nino's eyes widen. "Lyn…"

I stand my Nino smiling. I reach my arms out. "Does someone need a hug?"

She nods. She hugs me and I wrap my arms around her. I rub her back gently.

"Pathways and courtesies?" I hear Lord Hector asks. "I guess she's being gracious, right?"

Nino and I keep hugging each other but both look at the two lords.

"Let's defeat Sonia and sever the connection between Nergal and the Black Fang!" Lord Eliwood calls out. "For a better future!"

The group cheers. I look at Nino separating from our hug. I place a hand on her head and she smiles at me.

"We better get moving, huh?" she asks.

"Yes, we should." I reply.

I remove my hand. Mark starts setting people up. Florina and Hector fly down to take care of two magic-users that are down there. Marcus rides ahead on the pathway. Serra, Erk, Jaffar, and Nino follow behind along with another handful. Mark has me and other stay behind. He believes another path will arise on the left of the platform.

I hear fighting close by and can see from across the water. I see Hawkeye treading water to get to the other platform. I then see a wyvern popping up. My eyes widen slightly. I'm glad I'm not over there. I look to my left to see that a platform is in fact rising. Geitz crosses first and the others follow behind. I make sure I'm the last one to cross so the others have space.

When they cross they start fighting horse riders and the enemies on the platform close by. I cross it. There is no room for me on the platform so I wait on the path.

"Eep!" I exclaim.

The path disappears making me fall into the water. It's kind of deep so my head is underwater. I swim up and gasp for air. Dart, who is close by, spots me. His eyes grow slightly wide.

"Yah alright, lass?" he asks.

I nod. I'm close to the edge so Dart bends down and reaches his hand out. I take it and he pulls me out of the water. I am soaking wet now but I will manage. I smile at Dart.

"Thank you." I say to him.

He nods. We both cross the path. I can feel the water in my boots making me annoyed. I take off my boots and dump the water out. I hear flapping of wings above me so I look up. It's Hyperion. It then flies by me. Heath looks at me with wide eyes.

"What happened?" he asks.

My eyes widen slightly but I quickly shake my feelings away. "I fell in the water. Stupid path disappeared on me."

This makes him smile chuckling. "Sorry to hear that."

I smile slightly. "Yeah, sure you are."

"Well, if you fall again, I'll pick you up."

I blush slightly. In my mind I'm shaking my head really quickly. "Thanks."

He nods. He then flies ahead. I cross a path along with others. A platform close by has two magic users on it. Hawkeye has already crossed the water to attack them. Along with him Florina and Farina are there to help. Fiora is by the platform near others. That's when I see a bolt nearly hit Hawkeye. My eyes widen. I hate faraway magic. You never know when they are going to come hit you and you can't counter attack it.

More paths appear. I'm with the group that moves on while others stay behind. Canas is attacking a general. I aim my arrow at a crack within the armor. I shoot and the arrow makes it through. Eventually the general does fall over dead with a big 'thud'. We keep fighting. Soon the path we crossed disappears. I figured that would happen. Lots of horsemen start coming and attack. Geitz attack a few and I help him out by attacking the ones not directly at him.

A wyvern rider does flies over to where we are. What's special about this one that it's a wyvern knight; that's an upgraded wyvern rider. This can't be good. Wil is there so he shoots at the wyvern. The wyvern takes damage but the rider is still able to attack. It takes aim at Lord Eliwood but he dodges. Lord Eliwood stabs the wyvern with his blade and it falls over. The rider falls off. Rath then stabs him with his sword.

Wait a minute. A sword? Oh! Rath must have been promoted to a nomad trooper! That's so cool! He does look different along with his horse. That's amazing! I should find some time to talk to him soon. The group moves on so I follow. We are slowly getting and closer to a particular spot in the back of this large place. I think that's where Sonia is. I wonder if we are going to be able to fight her. I shake my head. Of course we are! We are a strong group, after all!

Paths continue to appear and disappear but we keep moving forward. We reach the spot where I believe Sonia is waiting. We all regroup at a large platform. Something tells me to stop. I don't know what it is but my legs suddenly felt heavier. I step to the side so others can cross the path. That's when I see them. Two wyverns fly down to attack. I move to the corner of the platform and aim my bow. I fire and it digs through the wyvern's wing. It screeches out in pain. Wil shoots the rider down and Lady Louise finishes the wyvern off. The other wyvern is dealt with by Guy and Priscilla.

Huh? Priscilla attacked with fire magic? My eyes widen. She got promoted, too! Geez, who else got promoted that I haven't noticed? I shake my head. I need to focus on the matter at hand. The group is already moving up to attack Sonia. I feel like I'll be in the way if I try to attack her. I notice Heath land next to me. My eyes widen slightly.

"Hey, Luna." He says.

"Hey?" I ask a bit questionably.

"Are you alright?" he asks.

I smile the best I can. "Everything's fine."

He looks at me with doubt. "What about earlier tonight?"

I shake my head. "I was just tired."

Heath frowns at me looking slightly hurt. What is this all about? Did I do something wrong? No, it should be me that looks hurt. I mean, after that night I haven't felt the same. I'm all confused and more emotional. I hate this! I turn away from him pretending that nothing happened.

"Luna…" he says. I don't move or say anything. "I-"

"Sonia is defeated!" Lord Eliwood exclaims. "Let's get out of here!"

The group starts heading back. I spot Florina and quickly ask to hitch a ride with her. She nods and I climb up sitting behind her. We leave and I lose sight of Heath. Good. Now I can feel more like myself. I wish I knew what was wrong with me, though.

_**(Outside)**_

Nino and a man are talking right now. No one looks happy at the moment. Everyone just seems tired from the fight. I decide to hang by Mark and the three lords. They don't say much but are waiting for Nino.

After a while she comes over looking calm. I hope she is okay.

"Have you said your farewells?" Lady Lyn asks.

"Yes. Uh…" Nino says pausing slightly, "thanks. You all came and… told me that we're friends." She smiles. "It made me happy. Can I travel with you?"

"Of course!" she exclaims happily. "Right, Eliwood?"

Lord Eliwood smiles. "If that's what you'd like, we'd be happy to have you. Will you come and help us?"

"Yeah! I'll do my best! I promise!" Her eyes widen slightly remembering something. She links arms with Jaffar pulling him over. "Jaffar, too!"

Jaffar stays silent as he looks from Nino over to us.

"We should be getting back to camp." Lord Hector says. "We've an early start tomorrow."

"You're right." Lord Eliwood replies. "We should head out as soon as it's light. The Shrine of Seals awaits!"

We all head back to camp near the village. When we reach the village some people enter the town including me while the others head to camp. When Florina, Nino, Rebecca and I reach our room we all immediately crash on our beds. I feel the weight of how tired I am hit me. I weakly put my bow down and take my quiver off. I climb under the blankets and fall asleep in less than two seconds.

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><p><strong>I hope this was a good chapter! Please don't be afraid to review and tell me what you think! ^^ Let me thank my following reviewers:<strong>

_**Cata-nee (Thank you very much! :D Thieves, in general, are just plain awesome. XD)**_

**_patattack (Thanks for your help and I'm glad you liked Mark and Farina's story. ^_^)_**

**_Hyralc (A nice long review! :D Thank you for your thoughts. They always interest me. ;) )_**

**_ExposedWiresExposedVeins (Thanks for the sort-of long review! X) Makes me happy to read them!)_**

**_SuperNova23 (Thanks for the review! Also, thanks for your help, too. :D)_**

**_Meru-64 (I always can't wait for your reviews! I feel like we connect in a lot of ways. XD Anyway, again, thanks.)_**

**That's it. Hope to see you all next time (when I learn how to manage my schedule and get things done ON TIME!)! Sayonara for now! ^_^**


	20. Chapter 20

**I'm sorry once more, everyone! I promise I am trying to find a better way to manage my schedule so the updates can be on time once more! ;_; Anyway... this was another long chapter! My goodness! XP I really do like this chapter even though playing it is HARD! I feel like as the closer you get to the end of the game the longer the chapters get. Just the sheer dialogue and action that goes into it becomes longer making it take a while to work with. But, I'm glad I have been able to type up chapter 20! :D Feels like just yesterday I posted the first chapter to the prologue of this. :)... So, without further ado, let's begin this chapter!**

**Disclaimer:**** Typing this really does get tiresome after a while but it needs to be done. I do not own the game or characters. I own Luna, Kalei, and Mark (1/2, anyway).**

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><p><span>Chapter 20:<span>

"Congratulations on your promotion!" I exclaim.

Matthew smiles brightly with his hands on his sides. "Why, thank you. I can now provide better assistance towards my lord Hector and our tactician."

Mark has just recently promoted Matthew from a thief to an assassin. Matthew looks more confident. I heard from Mark that Legault refused the Fell Contract. I wonder if it has anything to do with leaving the Black Fang after killing his friend, Aesha.

I nod. "That's great, though! I'm happy for you!"

He starts snickering having this mischievous grin on his face. "I'm going to see what will happen when I tell Guy assassins are better than sword masters."

My eyes widen. "He's probably going to kill you for that."

"Yeah, he will." He pauses slightly. "If he can even catch me."

He quickly disappears. I laugh quietly to myself. Oh, Matthew. I swear he is always thinking of devious things. I wonder how his mind runs. I stare at the sky and continue walking along with the group. I start losing focus.

"Luna?" Florina asks.

I snap out of my daze and turn towards her. It has been peaceful walking down this path towards the Shrine of Seals. She looks at me with a bit of concern on her face.

I smile. "How are you?" I ask.

She smiles. "I'm fine." She places a hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright?"

I nod. "Everything is fine."

She hesitates as if wondering to say something or not. I glance at her with curiosity. Finally, she opens her mouth.

"How come you were so scared last night? With the wyvern, I mean."

My eyes widen slightly. I try to stay calm. "I did overreact, didn't I?" I say scratching the back of my head. Florina stays silent. I sigh in defeat. "I don't know. Maybe stress was building up. Or even because…"

I stop myself. Or even because I'm still thinking about Heath too much making me so uncomfortable. I can't seem to relax. Just because I saw him that one night with someone else… I'm being very immature. I know it. I'm probably the biggest idiot around. I can't shake the feeling, though. It's hanging around as if the torture and mock me. Will it ever end?

I look ahead and see Rath. This makes me perk up. I turn to Florina. "Sorry, I have to go."

Before she can respond I jog ahead through the group. I catch up to Rath and start walking next to his moving horse. Rath turns and sees me. He stops his horse and un-mounds it. He then walks. I like it when he does that. He probably knows I want to talk to him so he is being nice in his own way. Flashbacks cross my mind from when I worked for him. It seems like so much has changed since then.

"Is something on your mind?" he asks.

I smile at him. "You know me well, don't you?" He stays silent. I place my hand on my forehead looking ahead calmly. "I hope I don't get sick because of Mark. If I do I'm going to be mad at him."

I look over at Rath and nearly jump. His eyes seem so stern. Like he is studying me as if I were an insect to be learned about. I remove my hand and try to not make eye contact with him.

"Still having troubles with wyvern." He states. I flinch. It wasn't a question but I nod in response. "This isn't like you."

I look at Rath feeling confused. "What do you mean?"

I make eye contact with him and his eyes don't seem as stern this time. "Back in Araphen you were always so cheerful. The men in our group were more energetic because of you."

"That can't be true."

"It is." He looks ahead. "Though you were new and inexperienced I knew there was something special about you. You had this… hidden spark inside." My eyes widen. "Nothing would bring you down. You'd always run through your obstacles head on and keep running ahead." He looks back at me. "Now you seem so timid. Act like your fear is just another obstacle. Charge through it."

Tears sting at my eyes as I smile. "R-Rath…" I wipe my tears away. "I really needed to hear that. Thank you very much." I laugh. "You know, this is the first time in forever since I've heard you talk so much."

Rath eyebrows furrow together. This just makes me laugh some more. He glares at me but I really can't help myself. He is absolutely right, though. I need to stop acting like I am helpless. I don't need people to stop and wait for me to catch up. I need to charge ahead. People can catch up to _me_. Not the other way around.

I give him a quick hug before he can object. "I miss those days, you know." I say. "When I called you 'Captain' and all those guys who I worked with… They were really nice people. We had everyone's backs back then." I look forward continuing to walk next to him.

"I'm going to murder you!" I hear Guy yell.

I look over to see Matthew running away from Guy. "Only if you can catch me!" Matthew yells back.

They start running around through and around the group. Guy is completely angry while Matthew looks like he is having the time of his life. This makes me laugh. I told him he would get in trouble. Oh, well. He seems to like mischievous things like this. Getting people angry brings smiles to him.

I smile gently. "It's the same here, isn't it?" I ask Rath. "That vibe of togetherness… the confidence and strength…"

"Yes, it is." Rath comments.

I look over at him a smirk playing on my lips. "How is it with you and Lady Lyn?"

He pauses. "What do you mean?"

I nudge him with my elbow. "You know what I mean. Don't you really like her?"

He looks at me. He shakes his head. My eyes widen. I'm about to protest when he says softly, "I love her."

I smile feeling excited. "That's great!" I exclaim hugging him again quickly. "Have you told her yet?"

"Not yet." Rath replies.

"You should." I say. "I'm positive that she will be happy to hear it."

He looks ahead in silence. I take that time to just silently walk next to him. I'm sure he is thinking seriously about it. I feel so excited now, though. It's good to know that Rath has found someone to love. He is always so serious that I think Lady Lyn would be a good person in his life. I'm very glad for him.

_**(Later)**_

"I can see it… That's the Shrine of Seals." Lord Eliwood says.

We have all stopped to see a building in the distance. It does look nice but not as large and beautiful as the Dragon's Gate. Now that place sent chills up my spine. This place, however, looks more welcoming.

"This is strange." Lord Hector says. "We've made it so far without seeing a single soul."

"I'm afraid that's no longer the case." Lady Lyn says.

Wait, what? What is she talking about? I look around to see three men with swords running in our direction. My eyes widen. This can't be good.

"What?" Lord Hector exclaims.

"They're out for blood!" Lord Eliwood exclaims. "Who could they be?"

The three men stop by the bridge close to us. One crosses the bridge and stops. "You're Lord Eliwood of House Pherae, correct?" he asks.

Lord Eliwood pauses looking defensive. "And if I am?"

"We are the Fang, and we serve the Mad Dog, Linus." The man says. "You will atone for your sins with blood!"

"What?"

The man leaves and a lot of others start grouping up. There are so many of them! What are we going to do?

"It's the Black Fang…" Nino says stepping close to me. I look at her. "They're all Fangs." She smiles brightly. "They're alive!" My eyes widen slightly.

"Wait!" Jaffar exclaims placing a hand on her shoulder.

"What?" Nino asks turning towards him. "What is it?"

"Their battle lust… It's not normal." Jaffar explains. "Get too close, and they'll tear you apart!"

Nino becomes sad. "Why? Why do we have to fight? If we talk to them, they'll see."

"We are no longer Fangs. No…" Jaffar pauses. "We served Nergal. We were never Fangs. To them, we were never companions. Never."

Her eyes are wide. My heart breaks for her. She starts shaking her head. "No… No…" She yells, "That's not true! That man mentioned Linus! Linus must be here! I need to talk to him! Linus will understand! I won't give up so easily!"

Jaffar doesn't say anything. I squat down in front of Nino gripping her arms. "You have to be careful." I say. Her eyes widen. "You might know them but they are dangerous. Promise me you will."

Nino calms down and nods. Her face is full of determination. "I will."

I smile. "That's a good Nino."

She giggles hugging me. "Thank you, Luna."

I hug her back. "No problem." I stand up. "I better go check to see what my brother is planning."

Nino nods. Jaffar stays close to her. I run off in the direction of where my brother and the three lords are. Mark seems stressed. I hope his fever is down by now. He goes through so much just to make sure that everyone is alright and that things are running smoothly. I stop by Mark. He turns towards me.

"What is the plan?" I ask him.

He looks out towards the Shrine of Seals. "We are going to have to stay together. There are a lot of Black Fang members ready to kill us." He looks at me. "Are you going to be alright?"

I smile. "Of course!" I exclaim. I place my hand on my chest. "I'm here to fight and listen to your commands, after all!"

Mark smiles. "Alright."

"Mark!" I hear Nino suddenly exclaim running from behind. I turn around and watch her stop in front of Mark. "Let me go! I can talk to my brother! I know it might not work, but…"

Mark crosses his arms looking distraught. Annoyed, he looks away. "I'll see what I can do."

Nino smiles brightly. "Thank you!"

She runs back over to where Jaffar is. I smirk at Mark. "You don't have to act so serious all the time."

He glares at me but I don't take it seriously. I give Mark a quite pat on the back. "Let's move out."

Soon Mark got everyone organized. Everyone is moving as one across the bridge. I think Mark is having Florina and Hector along with Jaffar move to the left towards a possible village with shops while Marcus goes to the right and blocks that area from any enemies that might go around to attack our backside. I think I heard Nino argue with Jaffar until he finally let her follow him. I know he will do whatever it takes to protect her. She means that much to him. I can sense it. Plus, it just seems really obvious.

Right away we run into some strong knights. I shoot at one but it doesn't do much damage towards the enemy due to the armor. That's when Geitz is there with his huge axe to attack. He breaks the armor and kills the knight. Another knight moves up to attack. Erk burns the guy with Elfire with Serra as backup with her light magic. A third knight is finished off by Lady Lyn and Rath is close by her. This makes me smile.

Oh, wait! That's right! I just remembered all the other people Mark told me got promoted either recently or a while ago that I didn't notice (which is a lot)! Lady Lyn is one of them who used a Heaven Seal. Lord Hector also got promoted with the same type of item. Apparently Lord Eliwood can't use them for whatever reason. Then there is Lucius with the Guilding Ring, Bartre and Dorcas with a Hero Crest, Kent and Sain with a Knight Crest, and Dart with an Ocean Seal. It must be tough for Mark to choose who deserves promotions. All those items!

I shake my head remembering that I need to focus. I notice a General coming in our direction. Hawkeye charges up and strikes him down with his large axe. My eyes widen. That guy is really strong! He kind of scares me. Not as badly as Wallace, but just as scary.

A paladin rides forward and I aim my arrow. I shoot it but because of his speed I end up scratching his shoulder. This makes him temporarily stop. Enough time for Lord Eliwood to attack with his sword. We slowly move forward but more Black Fang seem to appear out of nowhere. This seems like so much stress for everyone to handle! I hope we all make it alright!

I continue to fight along with the others while making slow movements forward. More and more enemies appear but everyone works together to defeat them and continue moving. Soon we were at the point when a ballista was shooting at us. I don't like those things when they are in the hands of the enemy! When someone in our group has it, however, I love it.

I spot a knight and shoot at him. This time it goes through his stomach making him fall off his horse. I sigh with relief. I'm glad I was actually able to do something. More knights and horse-riders come at us to attack. No more ballista attacks are coming our way but one of them I lost track of. I swear I heard someone sound out in pain, specifically a guy, but I don't know who it was. Someone on our side? The enemy? I wish I knew. I have this bad feeling about it.

What feels like a very long battle somehow brings us to the Shrine of Seals. That's where Lloyd is waiting for us. However, Mark has other plans for me. He orders Florina to carry me back over to where we first started. In the distance wyverns are coming in our direction and he wants people down there to meet them head on.

I mount Florina's pegasus while Lord Eliwood mounts Farina's. The two sisters fly into the air and I grip Florina's shoulders. I hang on tight until we reach the place. Like Mark said, there are three wyverns there seeming to be waiting. Lord Eliwood gets off and talks to one of them. My eyes widen. It's that wyvern lady Veida! What is she doing here? I watch as soon enough she is suddenly on our side. I shoot an arrow at the third wyvern from the sky while Lord Eliwood is attacking the second one. It goes through the wyvern rider's chest at a strange angel. None of the less, he still falls over dead.

"Good shot." Florina comments.

"Thanks." I reply smiling a bit.

She lowers to the ground and I jump off the pegasus. More wyverns come so all four of us attack them. Merlinus' tent is close by so we definitely need to protect it. It's strange how I'm really scared of them but somehow I am alright with attacking them. Well, probably because I can attack from far away without much fear of being counter attacked. I hope everyone at the Shrine of Seals is doing alright. He seems like a very strong guy. His sword also looked strange. Almost magical.

The wyverns stop coming but I hear flapping of wings from behind us. I quickly turn around prepping my arrow. I lower my guard when I see it's Fiora on her pegasus. She lands by us without getting off her ride.

"Mark wants everyone to gather up at the Shrine of Seals." She says seriously.

"Is the fighting over?" I ask her.

"For now, yes."

With that she takes off into the air. I climb onto Florina's pegasus and all of us fly towards the building. When we got there I automatically felt like something was missing. I don't know what it was but it feels important. I wish I knew what it was! Mark is right there. When he spots me a sign of relief crosses his face. My feet touch the ground and Mark walks over to me.

"Is everyone alright?" I ask.

I feel like this is a very important question to ask. Don't ask me why. I just have this strange feeling at the pit of my stomach that refuses to leave me at peace. Mark's eyes widen probably thinking that this isn't a normal question. I also sense hesitation.

"Everyone is… alive." He answers.

I look at him confused. "What's with the hesitation? Is something going on?"

He doesn't say anything.

"Mark." I say. "Just tell me what's-"

"Lord Athos? When did you arrive?" Lady Lyn asks.

I look at the building. On the stairs are the three lords along with Athos. I remember him from the desert! I didn't know he would be here. What's going on? Mark motions for me to follow him to the building.

"Just now… I warped in, you know?" Athos replies. All of us are now in the building. "I was watching you in my scrying crystal. The most important thing is that you've made it here."

"If that's true, why didn't you just magic use here in the first place?" Lord Hector exclaims in frustration.

My eyes widen. We could have gotten here quicker? We went through so much just for him to appear! My eyes widen a bit more realizing something. If he would have just warped us here we wouldn't have met Nino and Jaffar or possibly anyone else that got recruited onto our team recently. Sonia wanted Nino dead so… Would Jaffar have been able to protect Nino enough on his own? I know he is the Angel of Death but, still…

"What would have that proven?" Athos asks in return. "You cannot hope to succeed if you cannot trust your own strength. Your own power must drive you." I slightly nod in agreement. "That is the most important thing. Now then, shall we go? Underground… Where Bramimond awaits."

I frown in confusion. I glance over at Mark. He places a finger over his lips signing that I should stay quiet. I nod.

Lord Hector seems calmer as he asks, "Bramimond? One of the eight legends? Is that who you're talking about?"

Lord Athos turns to him. "That's right. Of the eight legends, only Bramimond and myself remain." He looks at all of us a bit apologetically. "Your journey here was a bit of a test, I'm afraid. I had to see if you were worthy of wielding a legendary item."

Oh, so that's why he didn't warp us here earlier. Well, I'm glad for meeting Nino so it's alright by me.

"Legendary… item?" Lord Eliwood asks.

"That's right." Athos replies turning towards him. "It's a weapon that we, the eight legends, used to defeat the dragons. With it, you will be able to sever Nergal's power at its root."

"A weapon to defeat Nergal…"

"The legendary items are sealed in lands across this continent. The only one capable of removing those seals are Bramimond. Now if only we will be granted this one request."

My eyes widen as I watch Athos disappear. Then Lord Eliwood and Lord Hector. I start to panic. Mark wraps his arm around me just as Lady Lyn disappears. I close my eyes tightly waiting for whatever that was happening to be done and over with.

I wait a good minute before opening my eyes. There is not much different since the place we are at is so dark. I can still feel Mark's arm around me so I feel safe. When he removes his arm I grab at him.

"It's okay." He whispers. "I'm right here."

"Okay." I reply.

"It's so dark..." I hear Lord Eliwood say a bit ahead of us.

Mark guides me forward to where the others are.

"It's creepy… Can't see a thing." Lord Hector comments.

We are all now together.

"Sh!" Lady Lyn says suddenly. We all go quiet when suddenly I hear something off. Footsteps? Another person breathing? "Someone's here."

That's when someone covered in a dull green cloak appears. I can't see the person's face well due to the hood.

"You're Bramimond…" Lord Eliwood says.

The man pauses for a moment as if pondering something. "Yes, I… suppose that is me." The comment confuses me. "What do you want of me, you who live above ground?"

"We have a favor to ask." Lady Lyn says. "We seek something to help us defeat Nergal…"

"That is unfortunate, for I cannot grant that which you seek. Humanity would suffer were I to remove the seals." The man replies.

"What do you mean?" Lord Hector exclaims. I cover my ears since he is very loud. This dark place seems to echo a bit, too. "The entire world is on the brink of destruction as it is!"

"The entire world?" My eyes widen. "Why would I care about that? The whole world can burn for all I care!" he yells.

I clutch onto Mark. His voice keeps changing! Is that possible? I don't understand what's going on! First he sounds normal and then all of a sudden he changes to rage just like Lord Hector.

"By Father Sky…" Lord Hector says sounding surprised. "Your voice… The way you talk. It keeps changing. How many…"

"Bramimond has no self." Athos says from behind me. I 'eep' holding onto Mark. Athos pats my shoulder before walking by me. "He… She… It… Yes, it is a mirror that reflects the person addressing it." My eyebrows furrow together. "It projects no personality of its own. There are as many Bramimonds as there are people facing him."

My eyes widen. That's crazy! But, somehow, it makes sense. When Lyn talked to him calmly he had her same personality. Then when Lord Hector yelled at him Bramimond just reflected the same personality right back at him. If there are as many of him as there are people in the room then that means that there are… six Bramimonds total. My eyes widen. I could never imagine having that many personalities.

"Bramimond," Athos asks, "do you remember me?"

"…Athos." He says nodding slightly. "Hmm, it's been many ages. I cannot fathom why you brought these people here. Why I sealed everything away… Do you forget why? The legendary items are not for human hands."

"But… we can't stop Nergal like this!" Lord Eliwood exclaims. "We need your power to help us save the world!"

Bramimond doesn't say anything. Instead, he just stands there. I don't know if he is pondering it over or if he doesn't care. It's very hard to tell.

Athos steps forward. "Bramimond, remember… We, too, are human." He motions at us. "These people, they will not be seduced by power. They came here without my aid, using only their own abilities. You observed them, did you not?"

Bramimond pauses. "It's true… They seem better, stronger than most humans." He frowns. "And yet, humans are frail. What guarantee do I have… that they will not succumb to that frailty, Athos?" he exclaims.

Lord Eliwood looks at him a bit confused. "A guarantee?" He shakes his head. "There is none. We simply ask that you believe in us."

I look over at Lord Eliwood. He does look very determined. And she should be, too. Everyone has been working so hard to get as far as we have gotten. We've been through so much together.

It grows silent until Bramimond finally opens his mouth. "…Once… There was a man much like you. His gaze never wandered. It was ever fixed straight ahead…"

He closes his eyes. That's when I feel a surge of energy seem to shoot out from him and all around. It was such a shock that I gasped jumping back slightly. Mark takes my hand attentively. A moment passes and everyone stays silent.

"…The seals have been released." Bramimond says. "You may now do as you please. I'm tired. You will let me rest."

He leaves placing a hand on his forehead while his body slumps forward slightly. He seems like an interesting person. I feel bad for him, though. I can't pinpoint the reason. Maybe because he is hidden away down here? Or maybe it's because he doesn't have a 'self'? I don't know. Suddenly the surrounding area vanishes and is replaced with the harsh bright light of the sun. We are back at the entrance to the shrine! I sigh with relief smiling. I let go of Mark's hand feeling calm now.

"Ah!" Lord Hector exclaims happily taking in a deep breath. "It's good to breath the outside air again!"

"Bramimond is certainly a mysterious figure." Lady Lyn comments.

"Mm…" Lord Eliwood says. "I wonder what convinced him to release the seals."

Athos says, "Interesting that… I believe it was darkness. A completely impenetrable darkness, the nature of which is beyond the comprehension of normal man." He pauses and I try to make sense of his words. "Regardless, you must hurry. The seals have been broken. Nergal has surely sensed this already… You must get to the blazing blade as soon as possible…"

"How unfortunate… You're too late." A dark voice suddenly says out of nowhere.

My eyes widen as shivers run throughout my entire body. No way! It can't be! Please don't tell me that is who I think it is!

"Ah!" Lord Eliwood exclaims. The man I feared that voice belonged to appears near Ninian and Nils who are standing outside of the Shrine of Seals. "Nergal!"

Nergal grins darkly. "At last… At last, my power is restored." He looks at the two siblings. "Come, Ninian, Nils." He stretches his hands out. "This way. Open the Dragon's Gate for me."

"…N-No!" Nils exclaims out trying to sound brave. The poor kid!

The two run towards the stairs while the rest of us are standing on the steps. I am standing at the top of the stairs watching by my brother.

"You mustn't go!" Lord Eliwood yells. "Neither of you!"

Nergal seems to ignore the voices. "Would you like to see my powers here and now? You may choose, Ninian. Obey me, or…"

Ninian pauses for a moment before staring at him with steady eyes. "If I go with you, will you let my brother go?"

My eyes widen largely. She didn't say what I think she just said, did she? No, Ninian! Don't!

"Ninian?" Nils exclaims in surprise staring at her with wide eyes.

"One of you should prove sufficient." He says calmly. He then smiles. "…As you wish."

"No!" I yell standing by the stairs.

Ninian takes a step forward.

"No! Ninian! Why?" Nils exclaims.

She turns towards her brother. "…Look after Lord Eliwood…"

She then takes his hands into hers and closes her eyes. A light gently glows from their hands. Nils closes his eyes but doesn't look as composed as Ninian. When the light vanishes Ninian lets go of his hands and walks towards Nergal.

Nils yells, "Ninian!"

"Ninian! You must not!" Lord Eliwood says descending the stairs.

Nergal grins widely looking completely pleased with the situation while everyone else was feeling the dread and horror. "The gate will open, and I will gain unlimited power."

"Niniaaaaaaaaaaaan!" Nils screams.

Lord Eliwood holds him back so he can't move. "Don't move!" He looks at Nergal with rage completely filling his eyes. "Nergal!"

"No!" Athos suddenly yells. "Get down! Both of you!"

I try to run up but Mark holds me back. The ground starts shaking like crazy. A bright white light flashes making me shield my eyes. After a moment of daze I open my eyes to see Nils and Lord Eliwood lying on the ground. Neither Nergal nor Ninian was in sight.

"Eliwood!" Lord Hector yells running down to the unconscious lord.

I look over at Athos to see his places down his staff. Did he protect us from that light? I can't believe Nergal, though! He is completely and utterly evil! He makes me so mad! I run down the stairs (ignoring Mark) and kneeling beside Nils. Lady Lyn is by me also looking at the young boy.

"They're going to be okay, right?" I ask pleadingly.

"Yes, child." Athos replies.

I look over at him. He looks worn out. I wonder if he is alright.

"Matthew!" Lord Hector calls.

Suddenly the thief, or should I say assassin, arrives quickly and seemingly out of nowhere. "Yes, my lord?"

"Camp is set up, correct?"

"It is, Lord Hector."

"Good." Lord Hector picks up Lord Eliwood and has him on his back. "Let's get moving then to get these two treated."

"Right."

I look down at Nils. I slide my arms at him and pick him up. He is heavier then he looks but I am able to stand alright. I hope I am able to carry him to camp alright. Matthew is in front of me.

"Let me take him." Matthew says. He smiles gently. "I am stronger you know."

I could hear the humor in his voice but I didn't mind. I could use a bit of positivity after what just happened.

"Are you sure?" I ask.

He nods. Without me doing anything he takes Nils in his arms. Lady Lyn and I walk closely to Matthew as we make our way to camp. I wish I was more useful. I want to be strong and brave like Matthew. He is a great help to me while I feel like I am doing nothing.

At camp I spot Nino. She sees me and rushes over to me. I see a bit of panic on her face.

"Did you hear?" she exclaims.

I shake my head. Matthew and Lady Lyn keep walking to where I am assuming is the clinic so Nils and get healed and rested up.

"Heath got hurt during the fight!" Nino says. "Un- Legault said so and thought that it would be important that you know!"

My eyes widen. My breath catches as I feel my heart drop to the pit of my stomach. "H-How did he…?"

"I think it was a ballista arrow." She says.

Hearing those words make me feel sick. That arrow I lost track of… the voice I heard in pain… it was him, wasn't it? Heath… Tears are pricking at my eyes. Nino takes my hand and starts pulling me.

"Come on! He might be awake!" she exclaims.

My body feels numb as I follow her feeling weak. Why didn't I know this sooner? Why wasn't I the one hurt? Was there any way that I could have helped? Maybe I could have done something… Thoughts like this run through my mind a mile a minute as I make my way to the clinic. When I get inside the tent I see Lord Eliwood, Nils, and Heath lying on beds. Serra and Priscilla are tending to the others. Lord Hector is by the red-haired lord while Lady Lyn and Rath are by Nils. I don't know where Matthew is at. Maybe he left to do something.

I gulp keeping my eyes on Heath. He is laying very still looking calm and serine. His eyes are shut and he is breathing normally. He is not wearing his shirt or armor so his chest and arms are showing. I can see the white bandage going across his chest and around one shoulder. That must be where he got hit. I watch as his chest rises and falls, rises and falls, and so on.

Nino pulls on me some more until I am standing by him. I kneel by him. Nino hugs me really quickly before running outside of the tent. I don't move. Instead, I just stare at him. Again I gulp feeling my throat go dry.

"Heath…" I whisper weakly. Of course I get no response. I continue anyway. "I'm sorry you got hurt. I didn't even notice until now." Tears continue to prick my eyes and my vision becomes blurry. "I'm an awful person. I should notice when a fellow comrade has fallen. Instead, I just kept on moving like everything was normal. Not even once did I stop to think. I had this bad feeling but I ignored it."

A tear slips down my cheek. "You know what the worst part is?" I ask. "I am still terrified of wyverns and their riders. I'm sure Hyperion isn't bad but I can't help but feel so nervous around him." I gulp. "And you… I feel so jittery around you. I can't keep calm at all. The strangest thing, though, is that I don't think it's because you are a wyvern rider." I sniffle. "I think it's because… because I… think you are special. You stick out more than others do."

I wipe the tears away and stand up. I walk out of the tent just to bump into Legault.

"S-Sorry." I mumble apologetically.

I don't glance at him as I leave quickly to my own tent. When I enter I sit on my bed. No one else is around so I take the time to breath and calm down. Even though tears fall I make sure to stay silent.

_**(Much Later)**_

Lord Eliwood and Nils are doing better. Lord Eliwood is even finally able to use the Heaven Seal! He has new armor, can now use spears, and even has a white horse! It's really neat! I think Athos gave him that seal. I'm just glad for him that it worked. I know how sad he was thinking that the seals didn't find him worthy. That's what I believe, anyway.

Heath is still resting. I hope he is doing well. This brings me to in front of the place where the animals are being kept. I take a deep breath before stepping in. It is dark except for the lamps lit on the wall. I walk by the horses and pegasi. I reach the stall where Hyperion is. He is lying down but his golden eyes are very well open. He glances at me and stands up. He doesn't make a step forward.

"H-Hi." I stutter. I stick my hand out. "I-I'm not going t-to leave. I promise."

Hyperion steps towards me. He starts sniffing my hand. I then place my hand on the top of its head. Hyperion closes his eyes looking pleased. I stay perfectly still trying to focus on the good details. The scales are hard but they are cool and gentle. They do not hurt my hand. With the lamps on the scales seem to shimmer. Hyperion's gold eyes are very bright too when they are open. I take slow, deep breaths. I'm actually doing pretty well!

"I'm sorry I have been scared of you." I whisper to Hyperion. "I never seemed to have gotten over what happened when I was a child back in Bern." I shake my head chasing the thoughts away. "I'm not stressed tonight so I promise I'm not running away."

Hyperion, strangely enough, looks like he is actually listening to me. It seems like he is hanging on to every word that I say. I smile gently.

"You're a good wyvern, aren't you?" I ask.

Hyperion raises his head bringing it closer to my face. I take a step back and bump into something. I tilt my head up to see that I actually bumped into someone. My eyes widen.

"Heath?" I exclaim.

Silently, he places his hand over mine. I look at our hands feeling my face become hot. I take my other hand and clench it over my chest. My heart is beating so fast it is dangerously close to breaking past my rib cage. Can he tell how nervous I'm feeling? Oh gosh, I hope not!

"You're alright." He whispers in my ear.

I flinch by the sudden warm breath of air. I'm screaming, 'No, I am not! You are really close to me!' in my head but I silently nod. Hyperion just looks at the both of us. It becomes quiet. My heartbeat sounds very loud. Can he hear it as clearly as I can in my ears? I force myself to breath normally. Instead of focusing on Heath I focus on Hyperion. It's hard to, though, when my hand is becoming warm by his touch.

His other hand perfectly folds on top of my clenched fist. "Nothing to be scared of, right?" he whispers.

I shake my head. After a moment I am calm. That's when Heath removes his hands from a top of mine. I feel normal but at the same time I start to miss the warmth of his body. I turn around to face him.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" I ask.

"That's all I have been doing." He replies smiling gently.

"I know, but your injuries…"

"A little sore but not a big deal. I will be fine by tomorrow."

I glance at the ground twiddling my fingers. "You still have to be careful." I tell him.

"I will, don't worry." Heath replies.

I look up at him. I can see something is bothering him. "Is something wrong?"

He pauses. "Do you really hate wyvern riders that much?"

My eyes widen as I start shaking my head very quickly. "It's not that!" I nearly exclaim. "I'm just scared 'cause of what happened years ago. It doesn't mean I _hate _them. I just end up being paranoid."

Heath sighs with relief. This makes me blink a few times in confusion. "I want to be able to protect you." He says.

My eyes widen. "Why would you want to do that?" I ask.

"Because it is you."

My pink cheeks turn bright red once more. "I-I-I…" I gulp. "Y-You've already gotten hurt badly once. To have it happen again…" I shut my eyes tight bowing my head. "I would feel horrible."

His hand taking mine makes me open my eyes. "I feel that you are special to me, Luna." He says. "Protecting you would make me feel more at ease."

I look at him to say something when he kisses my forehead softly but gently. My voice gets caught in my throat as I stand there. My heart won't be quiet and settle down! Eep! He pulls back and gives my hand a squeeze before walking away. I stand completely still as I hear his footsteps fade into nothing. It is completely silent once more. I can feel Hyperion's gaze on me so I turn to face him. I place a hand on his cheek.

"What just happened?" I didn't know if I was asking myself or Hyperion.

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><p><strong>That's it! Please review and tell me what you think about this chapter! I reply to all reviews so I promise you won't get ignored. ;) Let me thank the following people for reviewing my last chapter:<strong>

_**Hyralc (Thanks always for your reviews. I LOVE Nino! X) Hopefully Luna acted better this time. ^^')**_

_**ExposedWiresExposedVeins (Thanks for your very helpful review. I do try to fix any mistakes that I can and keep trying my best. It's good to hear some good critiques that are not hurtful which you execute very well. XD)**_

_**SuperNova23 (Thanks for the review! Big-sister roles are always very sweet to me. X) Luna and Nino just seem to fit that naturally. Jaffar scares me and yet I love how awesome he is. ROFL)**_

_**Meru-64 (Thanks for your fun review! :D lolz I hope that you liked this chapter. ;) Sonia is only great when she is dead [sounds bad but true] XD. RDHS is being worked on VERY HARD, I promise!)**_

_**patattack (Thanks for you review. I like reading yours even when they are short. ^^ Luna sneaking up is fun [whether it fails or not] since she is snucked up on all the time. XD)**_

**That's all. Thank you all SOOO much for putting up with me! _; I know I can be difficult, un-smart, and such a procrastinator but I am definitely working hard on this story! RDHS is not dead, I promise! Just super, super late! ^^' Once I have things more organized updates will be coming like they used to before (which is on time at a good hour :) ). So, until next Saturday, sayonara! *bows***


	21. Chapter 21

**Yeah! I am finally able to update this on time again! :D *cheers jumping around doing a happy dance* The only thing I have to do now is to try and get future chapters up on time, too! ^_^' Well, anyway, please enjoy this (on time) chapter! X)**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Fire Emblem or the characters. I own Luna, Kalei, and half of Mark.**

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><p><span>Chapter 21:<span>

We are around the outskirts of Ostia searching for a legendary item. Athos said it was in a cave and that we are getting close. To my right is Hyperion. I gently place a hand on his cheek. Serra is to my left jabbering about how much walking we do. Erk is on the other side of her so not all of her attention is on me. I don't mind her talking but she does it so quickly it is easy to get lost. Heath is on the wyvern still recovering from his wound to the shoulder by the ballista. When I saw him that night it seemed like he wasn't hurt at all. Of course, some people were really worried finding out he was out of bed (like Priscilla and Serra who were healing him along with others).

Oh, that's right, I just remembered something! Early this morning I panicked because an unfamiliar blond man was walking around our camp. When I asked who he was he told me that his name is Harken and that he joined the group. After talking to Mark I confirmed this true. Apparently he was on the battlefield at the Shrine of Seals. How I didn't notice him at all before I haven't got the slightest clue. Though I was started by Harken he isn't actually that bad of a guy. I sense tension between him and the paladin, Isadora, however. History, perhaps?

I pat Hyperion before pulling my hand away. I blush as images of Heath and I flash through my mind. His hand was really warm over mine. It's strange how a few whispers from him make my cheeks grow hot.

"I swear we need to get a break at some point!" Serra exclaims catching my attention. "All this stress doesn't help anyone!" She turns to me. "Don't you agree, Luna?" I nod. I want to say something but she quickly turns to Erk. "See? Even Luna agrees with me!"

"Complaining about it isn't going to help." He states.

She glares at him placing her hands on her hips. Looks like there is going to be another argument unless I do something.

"Wouldn't it be nice if there was a hot spring?" I suddenly ask out of random.

Serra turns to me and beams clasping her hands together. "That would be heaven!" she exclaims.

I mentally sigh with relief. Looks like I stopped another argument from happening. I wish Erk would choose his words more carefully around Serra. I don't think the group wants to hear a lot of yelling at the moment. At least I know I don't. I didn't sleep a lot last night. I have a slight headache, too.

"Imagine; a hot spring where we all can just bathe and relax." She says dreamily. "Melt all the stress away… Get all the grime and dirt off…" She squeals giggling.

I laugh at her reaction. "I would love to be at one, too."

The group stops so I do as well. I look past people to see that we are in front of a cave. Is this it? Are we at the place? I job up to the front and wrap my arms around Mark's arm. This gets a surprised reaction from him making me mentally laugh.

"Is this the place?" I ask.

Mark becomes serious and nods. Lord Eliwood instructs everyone else to wait inside while he, Lord Hector, and Lady Lyn enter along with Athos. Mark and I follow behind them. Immediately I notice how hot it is in here. We are walking on solid ground that seems to form paths in front of us. Around us, however, is hot lava! I start fanning myself as we continue walking.

"…I never imagined there could be a place like this in Lycia…" Lord Eliwood comments once we are fully inside.

"The air is so hot." Lady Lyn adds. "It's even hurts to breathe."

Lord Hector nods in agreement. He then points to the side. "Look down there. There's lava everywhere." Suddenly he exclaims, "Hey! Next to the path… Are those columns of flame?"

"Long ago, in the depths of this cavern…" Athos says, "When Lycia was a single country, an altar was built."

"Here? In this place?" Lord Eliwood asks curiously.

"There's something here that needs protection from those with evil hearts."

"Durandal, right?"

"That's correct." Lord Athos goes ahead and explains, "The weapons we wielded contained great strength. Power fearsome enough to cut down dragons…" My eyes widen. "Today, the might in those remaining weapons is not what it once was. Yet they have been safeguarded to keep them from evil hands. This place… No one's stepped foot in here since Roland's death." I glance around the area some more. "Roland's presence still fills the air. All that reside here now are former soldiers who guard the sword. This is your trial, Eliwood. A few of you may enter, but only you can approach the altar. Go and prove that you have the strength to wield Durandal!"

"Right." Lord Eliwood replies.

Such conviction… It always amazes me. Mark looks at me. "Will you be able to go?"

"If that's what you want me to." I reply.

"Alright, then."

Mark goes and talks to the three lords. Apparently only five people are going to be needed for going to the altar. Since its being protected we are going to have to fight. This should be fun with my headache. I run outside to grab my bow and quiver. Thinking about it now I am going to need something to tie my hair up with. I run over to Merlinus where my stuff is and dig through my bag. I pull out a maroon ribbon from there. It's what I use whenever I need to tie up my hair.

"Luna."

I turn to see Heath off of his wyvern. My eyes widen and I walk over so I am closer to him.

"You shouldn't be up." I say worriedly. "Doesn't your wound still hurt?"

He smiles gently. "I'm fine." His smile fades. "It's you I'm worried about."

I frown in confusion. "Why me?"

"You are going in that cave, right? To fight?" I nod. "Promise me you will be careful." My eyes widen. "If you don't I will force my way in there to help."

"Y-You can't!" I exclaim. "Mark won't let you fight in your condition!"

"Then promise me you will be careful."

I close my eyes a brief moment. I don't know why Heath is so worried. I fight all the time. This isn't something new. His voice from last night echoes in my mind, _'I want to be able to protect you.' _I open my eyes slowly. I wonder if that's why…

"I promise." I say.

He smiles. "Thank you."

Heath steps behind me and pulls my hair up into a high pony-tail. I take the ribbon still clenched in my hand and tie it up. My hands gently brush by his making me blush. Once it is tied Heath lets go and I let my hands fall to my sides. I turn to face him. Though I feel scared his smile has me relaxing.

"I'll be careful." I say.

Heath nods. I turn and leave towards the cave. When I enter I spot Oswin, Lord Eliwood, Pent, and Hawkeye ready to fight. Mark sees me and comes over to me.

"Lord Eliwood is going to go straight down this path." He says pointing forward. He then points to the left. "Lord Pent and Hawkeye are going down that path." He points to the right. "You and Oswin are going to go down that path." He looks at me. "I'm thinking that your paths will cross where the altar is. Until then, be careful."

I nod. I smile. "See you at the end."

He smiles. I go to the path at the right and meet up with Oswin. He is a really strong general so I feel safe around him. I think we will be able to handle any enemies. I just hope the others will be alright, too.

"Are you ready, miss?" Oswin asks.

I take a deep breath looking down the path. "As ready as I'll ever be."

He nods. He starts walking forward. I follow next to him. I'm not brave enough to run ahead by myself. Besides, who knows how many enemies there are. Two archers come into view. One runs up and tries to attack me. I quickly dodge and pull out my arrow to aim. I shoot and it goes through the archer's side. He staggers to the side. At the ledge some rocks fall from under his feet and he falls. My eyes widen as he lands in the lava and disappears. A few things surprise me. One is how calm the person looked when he felt, two is how silent he was, and three I didn't expect him to fall in the lava. I step closer to Oswin feeling terrified about the lava. Were these guys already dead but are now un-dead?

The second archer is near the wall shoot up and over it. Wait… Oh! I think Lord Eliwood is on the other side! Oswin has noticed this and stabs the archer with his lance. The archer immediately dies. Two more archers start running our way. Oswin has a javelin and throws it at one. It goes through the guy's neck making me grab my own feeling faint. I shake my head. No time to get weak. This is a battleground. I need to focus. I aim my arrow at another archer and fire. Through the chest it goes killing him right away.

Oswin and I continue moving. There is a knight ahead but he won't move from his spot. I look at the ground. There are spots differently colored than the rest. Oswin moves ahead to attack. Something shoots out of the lava and towards him.

"Look out!" I exclaim.

Oswin sees and steps back. The rock covered in lava hits the ground. That's why that spot is differently colored. I get it now.

"Thanks." Oswin says.

"No problem." I reply. "But we need to be careful."

Oswin nods. He moves ahead again to attack. Another rock flies out but this time it is not in his direction. The knight attacks but Oswin is able to deflect the attack and breaks through the knight's armor. Oswin wins. I run ahead so I can get off the hot ground soon. I don't want any lava rocks hitting me. Armored arms pull me back.

"Eep!" I exclaim.

A lava rock lands in front of me only inches away. I tilt my head back to see that Oswin pulled me back.

"Th-Thanks." I stutter out.

He nods letting go of me. We continue moving. A sniper runs up to attack. Since I am up front I attack the enemy. When I shoot it hits the person in the chest but it doesn't kill them. That's when Oswin steps in and thrusts his lance through the sniper's abdomen. That's when the sniper dies.

Oswin moves forward to encounter another sniper. I run up to attack the sniper when lightning nearly strikes me. I gasp at how close it was. Geez! Do I have a large target on my head that screams, "Hit me!"? By the time that I am alright and go to help the sniper is already dead on the ground. For a general he kills pretty quickly. He is now trying to break down a wall.

"Need help?" I ask.

He glances at me. He looks at my bow with doubt. That's when he hands me his javelin. I place my bow so it's strapped to my back and I take the javelin. He then pulls out a regular lance. Be both work at the wall as more pieces fall to the ground. It's hard work but eventually it does get loose enough so I can climb over it. I do so and continue digging from the other side. Oswin is too bulky to climb over the brick.

"Watch out!" Lord Eliwood calls.

I turn to see a spinning axe coming in my direction; fast. Panicking, I step to the side and trip on the rubble. I fall on my side and the axe nearly misses me. The axe goes farther down before spinning back in the opposite direction. It is dangerously close to me again. Suddenly I see Hawkeye run past and stops in front of me to deflect the flying axe with his own. The axe returns to the owner, a scary man with an old helmet on his head and scratched up armor on his body.

Hawkeye reaches his hands out towards me so I take it. His hand is so large compared to mine! They are rough as well. He pulls me up and he doesn't let go until I am fully balanced on the ground.

"Thank you." I say as he lets go of my hand.

He nods before rushing back to the strong enemy. I turn to see Oswin is now past the wall. I hand him his javelin back.

"You alright?" he asks.

"I'm fine, thank you." I reply smiling.

He smiles quickly before looking over. I look as well just in time to see Lord Eliwood stab the man through the chest with his sword. The man staggers.

"…The seal…" he says, "…protecting …beyond my power… …Regret…" He then falls over.

We both make our way over. The axe the man was wielding is large, strong, and looks a bit worn due to age.

Lord Eliwood looks at him sadly. "You have stood your ground for so, so long. I'm sorry…"

I try to pick it up but I soon realize that it is too heavy for me. Hawkeye picks it up no problem. I smile sheepishly at him.

"Their souls may now rest." Athos says suddenly showing up. "…At long last…"

Lord Eliwood slowly nods in agreement.

Athos turns to look at all of us. "Only Eliwood can move forward now."

Everyone nods. As we make our way back I brush the dirt and other things off of my dress. It's still in good condition though I nearly got hit who knows how many times today. I find myself walking by Hawkeye. I look at him feeling curious.

"Hey, Hawkeye?" I ask.

He looks down at me. I start to lose my confidence in speaking to him so I glance at the axe he picked up.

"Do you know how to use it?" I ask. "Like, how to throw it?"

He pauses slightly before replying, "I've used something like this before."

"Oh, okay." I say.

We all exit the cave and I notice Mark pacing. Matthew taps his shoulder and points at me. Mark turns to look at me. I smile and wave timidly. He smiles looking relieved and walks over to me.

"Everything went well?" he asks.

"Yep." I reply. "Lord Eliwood is still in there with Athos, however."

Mark nods. Matthew walks over and pats my head.

"Had fun?" he asks smiling.

"Well, besides getting targeted a lot and falling," I explain, "I'm fine."

His eyebrows rise. "Wow. I wish I was in there to see all that."

I punch him in the chest. We both laugh. Even Mark chuckles a bit looking at the both of us. Guy walks over. All four of us talk while we wait for Lord Eliwood and Athos to come out of the cave. Over Matthew's shoulder I notice Heath and Legault talking. Heath is looking either annoyed or mad at him about something. I wonder what's going on there.

"Oh, look," Guy says, "they're back."

We all look to see that Lord Eliwood and Athos have exited the cave. We walk over along with Lord Hector and Lady Eliwood to talk to them. Lord Eliwood holds up the blade to show them it. It is a very beautiful blade with a golden hilt and a red gem on the center of the guard. I feel like there is a special kind of aura coming off of it. Within the sun's light it shines brightly. Everything about the sword is amazing!

"So this is the legendary blade…" Lord Hector comments.

"Durandal, the sword of sacred fire." Lady Lyn says. "…It's strange, isn't it? I've never seen it before, and yet it feels so familiar…"

"I will use this to battle Nergal." Lord Eliwood says to us. "Come! To the Dragon's Gate…" His words trail off when suddenly the sword starts acting strange. It starts glowing brighter and brighter. "What? The sword… It's glowing…" He tenses looking past us. "Watch out! Something's coming…"

That's when a loud roar sounds through the air. I look over startled and my eyes grow large. It's a giant dragon! Its body is white and bright green with yellow spikes on the top of its head and down the back of its neck. It's very long tail is slightly curved out to the side. My body is shaking as my feet are glued to the ground.

"It can't be…" Lord Eliwood says.

"It's a… dragon!" Lady Lyn exclaims.

Lord Hector yells, "No! How is it possible?"

"Get back, everyone!" Lord Eliwood yells.

I start to feel faint. Lord Eliwood jumps up and slashes the dragon across the body before landing on the ground. The dragon calls out in pain before falling to the ground with a loud 'thud' and curls up. Blood starts spilling out. I feel sick…

"Eliwood!" Lord Hector calls. "Are you all right?"

"I think so…" Lord Eliwood says seeming a bit dazed. "My body moved on its own." He looks down at his sword. "It was as if the sword itself was guiding my arm."

"Luna?" Mark asks. I glance at him. His eyes grow wide. "What's wrong?"

I slowly shake my head. My world spins. I fall backwards closing my eyes. Mark catches me falling to his knees. I am now lying on the ground with Mark holding me.

"Luna!" he exclaims.

"The sword of sacred fire was made to combat dragons." I hear Athos explain. To me, it sounds distant. All noises besides my quickly beating heart sounds distant. "With so much power, who can say what it might be capable of? But this ice dragon… Surely…"

I slowly open my eyes. Everything is foggy and unsteady. Matthew is kneeling near me.

"Luna? Can you hear me?" he asks. I nod unable to speak. "She looks so pale…" he mumbles worriedly.

"Is something the matter, Lord Athos…?" Lord Eliwood asks.

"No…"

"Let me be the one to answer that." A familiar, creepy voice says. This makes my eyes widen.

"Blackheart!" Lord Eliwood exclaims. "Nergal!"

I sit up though Mark and Matthew protest.

"Ninian proved useless." I hear Nergal say coldly. "I've come for a replacement."

"Nils!" Lord Eliwood exclaims.

My eyes are wide again. This time I force my way up and stand up. Mark is holding on to my arm while Matthew is standing in front of me.

"Don't waste your breath." Nergal says. "He won't be awake for some time. Nils will do for me what Ninian would not."

"I… I want to see… what's going on." I say weakly.

Mark guides me so I am closer to the scene.

"Scum!" Eliwood yells. "What have you done with Ninian?"

"It's not what I've done. It's what you've done, Eliwood."

Lord Eliwood's eyes widen. "What?"

"Eliwood, did you never once question it? Why the siblings were needed to open the Dragon's Gate? Why did it have to be Ninian and Nils?"

He doesn't say anything. My eyes widen slightly. That is a good question. I don't think anyone has actually questioned it. We knew that Nergal needed them be we just never thought why it was specifically them.

Nergal continues, "The answer is simple. The Dragon's Gate cannot be opened by humans. Why would humans be able to open a gate that was designed… for dragons?"

My eyes widen very largely.

"…What?" Lord Eliwood asks.

No… He can't actually mean that… It's not true, is it? Please tell me that I am hearing things wrong! What Nergal is saying is that-!

"It's pitiful, really." Nergal's cold voice continues. I can hear a hint of cruel humor within them. "Poor Ninian's plight. Coaxed by my honeyed words, she passed through the gate… Though unable to return home, she refused to aid me and wandered lost and alone, until… she was slain by the hand of the one she loved."

"What… What are you saying?" Lord Eliwood asks.

My mind is spinning. Oh no… It really is true, then. Ninian and Nils… They are…

Nergal sighs annoyed. "Can you not guess? Or is it that you are afraid to know? Very well. Let me tell you, Eliwood. The ice dragon there…" he says pointing to the one Lord Eliwood attacked. "The beast slaughtered by your hand… That is Ninian." My eyes widen and I glance over at the dragon. That's Ninian? No… I've never thought… "The girl who adored you. She returned to her true form and lost all human memory." Tears stream down my eyes. She was such a sweet and quiet girl. To think such a heavy cloud was over her head. What about Nils? Surely he, too, is carrying that same pain. "Yet you, above all else, remained in her heart, and she came here… Look upon the creature you have slain. That is Ninian."

Lord Eliwood also looks at the dragon. "…Ah…"

"Go on, look." Nergal encourages. "She's using the last of her strength to take human form for one last time. I believe there may still be time enough to say farewell." He smirks evilly. "You know, of course, that you cannot save her."

"Nergal!" Lord Eliwood yells. "You foul demon!"

"It's not me. You, Eliwood. You killed her. You-"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!" he screams out cutting Nergal's words off. He charges at him when Lord Hector holds him back.

"Calm down!" Lord Hector yells at him. "Get hold of yourself, Eliwood!"

Lord Eliwood is breathing heavily. "I… I…"

I watch at the dragon changes into Ninian. She opens her eyes weakly.

"Lo… Lord Eliwood…" she says.

Lord Eliwood's eyes grow wide. "…Ninian?"

The lords rush over to her. Lord Eliwood falls on his knees by her. Tears can't stop pouring out of my eyes.

"…Ah…" Ninian says.

"Ninian!" Lord Eliwood calls. "Ninian!"

"Eliwood…"

"Ninian…" I can see tears are starting to spill from his eyes, too. Lord Eliwood holds her close to him gently. "Please don't die… I… What have I done?"

"I'm glad…" Ninian says smiling.

"What?"

"That you are unharmed, my lord… I'm so glad…"

"…Ninian…" Ninian closes her eyes. "Ninian? You can't…" He shakes her slightly. "Answer me… Niniaaaaaaaaan!"

I close my eyes tightly. I can't handle this. It's too painful.

"That's enough." Lord Nergal says. "You will await the end of the world trembling in the shadows of dragons!"

"I will not permit it." Athos says sternly. "Instead, I will see you perish in flame!"

My eyes widen largely as I watch a very powerful fire attack gets launched at Nergal. It is so bright and hot I thought for a moment that we were in the cave again. The attack, however, doesn't seem to affect him.

"The purest flame… Flame breath." Nergal comments. He smirks. "Very impressive, Archsage Athos. However… However fire is no longer my foe! Look! Not even a legendary blade can cause me harm! At long last, I am impervious!" That's when he starts laughing like crazy.

"…Gaa…" Athos says looking surprised and defeated.

"Miserable, aren't you, Athos? Yet out of respect for the great man you used to be, I'll leave. After all, 500 years ago, we followed the same path, did we not, old friend? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Nergal vanishes. No more… Please, no more. My eyes close as my legs collapse from under me on their own. Again, arms catch me before I am able to hit the ground.

"Luna!" both Mark and Matthew exclaim.

"What do we do now?" Lord Hector asks. "Not even legendary items can stop him!"

Those are the last things I hear before I completely black out.

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><p><strong>Well, what did you all think? Honestly, playing this chapter made me want to cry. ;_; I almost did, too, because of how sad it was! Poor Ninian! Moving on... let me thank the following people for reviewing the last chapter.<strong>

_**SuperNova23 (Thanks for the review! I like chatting with you [whether nerdy or not XD]. ^^)**_

_**Meru-64 (THANKS FOR THE REVIEW! Caps are fun, aren't they? ;) lolz)**_

_**patattack (Thanks for the review. :) I will try to use your suggestion ASAP becaue I really like it.)**_

_**ExposedWiresExposedVeins (Thanks for the [long] review. XD I really appreciated all of the comments along with notes that I need to make. Hopefully this chapter turned out good.)**_

_**AquaticSilver (Thank you very much for the sweet review! I am super glad to have a new reviewer! :D)**_

**Well, that's it. Oh, earlier today my brothers and I went to see 'The Lion King' in 3D! :D It's amazing watching it again after a long time. There are stuff that I picked up that either I never noticed before or I didn't understand because I was little. It's pretty neat when that happens with movies! X) Anyway, until next Saturday... Sayonara! ^_^**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hi, everyone! This is story is (technically) late by a few minutes *cough* half an hour *cough* so... sorry! ^_^' I am slowly getting better at getting these stories on time, though! :D Today was a bit hectic, though. My parents left for Belgium 10 days ago and returned this evening. I was really happy because they got me a lot of stuff and my brothers a few things! X) I got a dress, a fairy statue, a jewelry set, a tank top, slippers, and other stuff. I made out like bandit! :D Hee hee... Anyway! Please enjoy the story!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own the game or characters. I own Luna, Kalei, and half of Mark. That's it.**

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><p><span>Chapter 22:<span>_  
><em>

_I glance around the dark abyss. Where am I? I start feeling fearful. That's when a white light shines from behind me. I turn around. A large dragon appears before me and my eyes widen. For some reason I don't feel scared. Actually, I feel very safe around this dragon. It is dark blue scales covering its body. It steps closer to me and I stay in place._

_ The dragon is now right in front of me. The dragon closes its eyes and a golden glow surrounds it. Then, just like that, it became a tall woman with flowing dark blue hair and a silky white dress. She smiles at me with sparkling emerald eyes._

_ "Hello, child." She says warmly. "I see your fears have calmed."_

_ I look at her confused. "Do you know me?"_

"_We knew each other in the past." I still am unsure so she continues. "You might not remember me but I remember you."_

_ "But then how do you know about my fears?"_

_ "Because you were always timid around dragons before the wyverns attacked your home."_

_ My eyes widen. "Don't you think I would remember seeing dragons?"_

_ She shakes her head. "You were too young. Your body remembers what the mind doesn't."_

_ I slowly nod. She rests her slender hand on my shoulder. "There is nothing to fear. You are in good hands."_

_ Her touch makes me feel warm and completely relaxed. She pecks the top of my head like my mom used to. That's when the woman takes a few steps back. My eyes widen._

_ "Wait!" I exclaim. "Who are you?"_

_ She responds with, "Janelle." She smiles a sad smile. "You will soon remember, dear Luna."_

_ My eyes widen. Within the blink of an eye she is gone and it is dark once more. I turn around to see a path made of light. I step onto it and it glows..._

That's when I open my eyes for real. My vision is blurry but I am able to notice that I am lying on a bed. Where am I? I hear voices. My eyes are fully open and I look to the side. There is Heath sitting there. He spots me awake and smiles widely.

"Luna." He says sounding relieved.

"So, someone decided to wake up."

I look at the end of the bed to see that Legault is sitting there. He is the one who just spoke and he is smirking. I smile slightly glaring.

"Not nice." I say.

It comes out very quiet though I wanted it to be louder. I must be really tired. I slowly to get some sense and realize that I am in a normal room and not a tent. This makes me confused.

"Where are we?" I ask.

"Lord Hector's castle." Heath replies.

My eyes widen. "How long was I out for?"

Legault chuckles responding with, "A few hours. Some people were worried..." He then gives Heath this look that I can't make out. Knowingness? Teasing? I don't know. My head still feels foggy.

For the first time I notice that one hand is warmer than the other. I look to see that Heath is holding one of them. This makes me blush. Has Heath been with me the whole time? I don't know. Legault stands up and leaves. I open my mouth to ask but he is already gone. I sigh heavily. My hand gets squeezed so I look over at Heath.

"Are you alright?" he asks.

I smile. "Tired. Other than that, okay."

"With all of that sleeping?" he asks smiling.

I nod laughing softly. Now it was my turn to be worried. He is the one that looks really tired and drained.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

He smiles. "I'm fine."

I shake my head slowly. "You look really tired."

Heath's eyes become sad while holding the smile. "I was scared and worried."

"About…?"

"You."

My eyes widen. "Really?"

"Yeah." He replies.

He doesn't look as sad anymore making me feel a bit better. I still look at him with confusion, however. He was that worried? It's not like I got injured. I slowly smile. Still, it was very nice of him to worry. He leans towards me. I lay perfectly still unsure of what's going on. His face is only a couple of inches away from mine, now.

"Luna!" Mark exclaims.

Heath sits right back up. I turn to the door to see my brother looking happy. She runs over to the other side of the bed and hugs me (sort of since I am still lying down).

"I'm so glad you are awake!"

I giggle. "Of course. You expect me to sleep forever?"

Mark laughs sitting on the edge of the bed. "No. That would be bad."

I nod in agreement. Suddenly I feel a warm breath by my ear. My eyes widen.

"I'll talk with you later." Heath whispers.

I look at him and nod. Heath lets go of my hand and leaves. Immediately my hand feels empty. Like something important is missing. I shake the thought away. Just then the door opens to reveal Matthew and a few others behind him. I don't know if it was just my imagination but I thought I saw Heath and Matthew look at each other. Heath kind of glared at him and Matthew had this plain look on his face. What's going on there? Did something happen that I missed?

Just as quickly as I saw it they both act like nothing happened. Matthew looks at me and smiles. The people behind him are Guy, Priscilla, Nino, and Jaffar. I smile at them all. I turn to Mark.

"Help me up?" I ask.

Mark takes my arm and helps me sit up. He fixes the pillow so I can lean back on it. I whisper a quick 'thanks' as Nino runs up to the bed and gives me a tight hug. I hug her back smiling.

"I was so worried!" Nino exclaimed.

I pat her back gently. "I'm fine. I promise."

She lets go of me and smiles. "At least we made it to this castle. It's so huge!"

"Castle Ostia is well defended." Matthew says. "Its walls have yet to be breached by any enemies."

My eyes widen slightly. "Wow." I say. "That's pretty neat, actually."

"Yeah!" Nino exclaims. "This means we are safe for a while!"

I smile down at her. She is so cute! I pat the top of her head slightly making her smile more. I giggle. Priscilla walks to the side on my right and pulls away the cover to reveal my leg. I am no longer wearing boots and I can see a strange mark by my knee. To me it looks like a medium-sized purple bruise. Priscilla sighs smiling.

"It's healing." She says. "That's good."

I look at her confused. "What is healing? I don't remember getting hurt."

"You were bit by a rare bug. It sends toxins through your body." My eyes widen and she glances at me. "It can make you have a headache and become lightheaded. You might also become disoriented. Next thing you know you faint from exhaustion."

"That's exactly how it happened." I say a bit startled.

Priscilla nods. "When we carried you Matthew noticed the mark." I look over at him. He just shrugs. "That's when I realized that a rare bug bit you."

"You should have seen the look on Heath's face, though." Legault says from the door. I look over at him. He smirks. "He insisted that he carry you and he looked at you as if you were going to die at any moment."

My eyes widen. "He did?"

I stare at my hands on my lap. I didn't realize it was that bad. I thought all I did was faint. I can't believe it ended up this bad. Maybe I really could have died if no one noticed the mark and if no one had tended to it. Poor Heath… My eyes widen. What about Mark? I'm sure he was freaking out a lot, too. He can be overprotective of me so to find out that I had such a dangerous bite.

I look over at Mark. "I'm sorry." I say quietly. "I'm always such a bother. I'm nothing but troublesome."

Mark's eyes grow wide. He then glares at me with eyes filled with conviction. "I don't see you as troublesome. You should know that."

My own eyes grow wide. Nino says, "He's right!" I turn to look at her. "You were really kind when we first met and still are. Like an older sister! I owe you!"

"Nino…" I whisper.

"Don't beat yourself down." Guy says. I look at him. He is smiling. "You are cool to hang out with."

"I agree." Matthew says. I look over at him. "You brighten up this group."

I look at Legault to see him nodding. His smirk changed into a gentle smile. I smile at everyone.

"Thanks." I say. I wipe my eyes making sure no tears appear. "For everything, you guys."

I move to stand up. Luckily no one objects to this. When I stand up I am amazed at how steady I am. My leg doesn't hurt and nothing is shaky or blurry. The floor, however, does feel cold. Nino takes my hand making me look down at her.

"Want to walk around?" she asks.

I nod smiling. I watch as Mark grabs my maroon boots. He slips them on my feet for me and ties them on. I feel more comfortable with my boots on. Nino pulls on my hand so we walk out of the room. As we walk down the hall I notice the walls made of grey brick. The ceiling is not too high up from where we are. They might be higher were the entrance to the castle is. I look at Nino.

"Do you really see me as a sister?" I ask.

She looks up at me and smiles. "Yeah, I do. You are always so kind and loving. You even hug me and hold my hand." She looks ahead. "Sonia never did that."

I squeeze her hand. "Well, that's good." She looks up at me. "'Because I see you as my sister, too."

She beams at me. "I love you, Luna!"

I giggle. "Love you, too, Nino."

_**(Later)**_

Dart had found me and given me a loaf of bread. I thanked him and am now eating it. I'm wandering on my own since Nino ran off to do something but I don't know what. Maybe she just wants to explore the castle. Or she might have wanted to find Jaffar. I shrug as I continue walking.

"Graybeard, you know something, don't you?" I hear Lord Hector ask. He doesn't sound far. "Tell me! What are we supposed to do now?"

"A moment, lad…" Athos replies.

I walk down the hall until I see a large room I enter it. Lady Lyn spots me and waves smiling. I wave back and walk towards her until I am standing next to her. I keep biting into the bread. I am so hungry. I'm very glad Dart got this for me.

"How are you feeling?" Lady Lyn whispers.

I gulp down some bread before whispering back, "Much better, thanks."

"Yes, I suppose you've a right to know…" Athos says. We both turn our attention to him. "I first met Nergal some 500 years ago, wandering the Nabata wasteland. Like me, his only drive was the search for truth in this world. We were equals in power and knowledge, and we became fast friends." My eyes widen slightly. Nergal and Athos were friends? That long ago, too? Wow… That's incredible. "We believed we could solve the mysteries of the world. We truly believed…"

"So what happened?" Lady Lyn asks.

Athos looks at her. "A… disagreement, made at the height of our quest." He looks at the rest of us. "One day, as I charted the mysteries of Nabata, I came across the most amazing village… It was unbelievable, but in that place," he says now looking at me, "humans and dragons lived together in cooperation."

Athos seems to be giving me that knowing look. My eyes widen with shock. What does he know that I don't? I feel like the place is familiar, though. I close my eyes trying to remember.

"Dragons and humans?" Lord Hector asks. "Are you telling me they could live together in peace?"

"At first, I doubted what my own eyes showed me."Athos responds. "But yes, the village truly did existed."

Lady Lyn says, "That's… amazing."

"The dragons that I beheld there…" Athos says. "They were both similar to and different from the dragons I had fought hundreds of years before."

There was a pause when suddenly Lord Hector exclaimed, "Ah!" My eyes open widely. I look at the entrance of the room to see Lord Eliwood has entered. "Eliwood… are you…"

He walks farther into the room. The poor guy. He looks so pale and tired. It seems like he aged over a span of a few hours. He really must feel guilty for killing Ninian. I wish he would realize that it wasn't completely his fault. The sword moved on its own. No one knew that Ninian or Nils were dragons. Well, everyone except Athos.

"Please go on…" Lord Eliwood says.

Athos looks at Lord Eliwood with sadness within his old eyes. "As you wish." That's when he continues the story and I look back at him. "They had refused to fight humans in the war, and instead, retreated to this wasteland. They desired nothing but to remain hidden from the outside. Nergal and I crafted a barrier and created an oasis for them. Upon their invitation, we lived there with them. Our life there… It was calm and satisfying." I try to imagine the place and dragons. It sounds quite peaceful. "At some point, the village became known as Arcadia, a place of perfect peace for travelers gone astray."

"Arcadia…" Lord Eliwood says distractedly.

My eyes widen. That name sounds so familiar. Why can't I remember it? I know it! It's in the back of my mind somewhere!

"The dragons' libraries were a dream come true for us." Athos says smiling. "We studied their language and history with unbridled passion. A century, then two… Time passed in an eye's blink. And yet, slowly, our thoughts turned down different paths."

"In what way?" Lady Lyn asks.

"I wanted to share the dragons' wisdom with others. My hope was for earthly paradise to spread outward."

"And Nergal?" I ask.

"Ah, Nergal…" he says sounding distracted. His mood turns sour. "He took the dragons' knowledge… He learned the art of stealing the essence from living creatures and turning it into power." My eyes widen. Athos shuts his eyes. It seemed as if he was seeing something within those eyelids of his. "…It was terrible." He opens his eyes. "When we discovered what he was doing, the elders and I tried to persuade him to stop. But the power bewitched him, and he was deaf to our pleas. He started with small creatures and grew even more confident. Then, he began draining the quintessence of humans. The villagers and I joined forces and… defeated him. Or so we thought, but…"

I clench my hands together trying to imagine how horrible it was; to have your friend become evil. That's something I can't imagine. I know I would be devastated if one of my friends turned against me and everyone in the group.

"After he was banished from Arcadia, Nergal fled to Bern. He increased his power slowly to avoid our eye. Using quintessence, he made his "puppets", the morphs. They're bewitching in form, with intellects beyond human. I'm sure you've laid eyes on them yourselves. Jet black hair, pale complexion, and blood-red lips…" My eyes widen. I have seen a few with those features. The scariest thing about them was-. "Their most striking features are their glittering gold eyes." Yeah, what he said. Wait. Wasn't there someone…?

"Attack!" A male soldier suddenly yells bursting into the room. Panic is clearly written all over his face. "We're under attack!"

"What?" Lord Hector yells.

"L-Lord Hector!" the soldier stutters. "It's bad! An unknown group has breached the castle walls!"

Lord Hector's eyes grow wide. He glares at the soldier yelling, "How did they get in the castle without anyone noticing them?"

The soldier explains, "They just appeared out of nowhere! The attack was so sudden, the castle guards were annihilated!"

"Castle Ostia is famed far and wide as being impregnable…" Lord Hector says clearly looking angry. "If it's been breached so easily, can we save it?"

"It's Nergal." Athos says. "His magic created an entrance for his thugs within the castle."

No way! That evil person! I can't believe he would do this! He clearly has no heart or soul!

"Blast!" Lord Hector yells. "That arrogant-! No matter what, the throne must be protected! I'll not let the castle fall while my brother's away!"

Lord Hector then runs out of the room. The soldier, looking unsure, runs out of the room as well.

"Hold on, Hector!" Lady Lyn exclaims. "I'm going with you!"

She also runs out of the room. I look at Athos and Eliwood. They don't seem to be in any rush to leave. I glance at the door. I run to it and see Lord Hector and Lady Lyn with Mark.

"Mark!" Lord Hector exclaims. "We need you! We need a plan! If we can hold them back for a while, reinforcements will come!"

Mark nods. "Alright. Let's get everyone together and form a plan. We can make it through this."

I walk up to Mark. He spots me. "I am well enough to fight." I tell him. "So don't you dare try and tell me to sit out of this one."

His eyes widen. "But you-."

"I promise you I'm fine." I say. "I can't be weak forever. I have to pitch in as a fighter."

My brother sighs. "Alright. Just be careful."

I smile. "Thank you. I will."

I run over to the room I was at before and finish my bread. I run in the room and glance around. Weapon… weapon… Where is it? I can't find my stuff!

"Looking for this?" someone asks from behind me.

I turn around to see Legault holding my silver bow and quiver filled with arrows. I smile and reach for it. However, he steps back so I can't reach them. I frown at him confused.

"You know Heath won't be happy about this." He says.

I sigh. "I know that." I say to him. I glare. "But Mark says I can fight so I need to go out there and help anyway I can."

He smirks. "You are one tough girl, aren't you?"

I smile shrugging. "I try."

I snatch my stuff quickly from him and sprint down the hall to where everyone is. I swear from behind me I can hear Legault chuckling. I can't bother myself with that right now, though. I need to hurry up and get ready for battle. Ahead I see everyone is gathered so I slow down. I stand by Mark.

"What's the plan?" I ask him.

"We need to hold our positions for as long as possible. We don't want the enemy to reach the throne." He glances down towards the entrance of the palace. "I heard there is some treasure down there so I am going to have a handful of people over there."

"You sure that is alright?" I ask. "What if they get outnumbered?"

He glances at me. "They will be fine. I am sending only really strong people down there."

"What are my orders, then?"

He points down the hall the right _**(a/n: his right, not your right if you play the game)**_. "I want you to go down there along with a few others and stand guard. I'm going to make sure there are back-ups over here just in case any enemies slip by you."

I nod understanding. My brother leaves to talk to other people. I turn to leave when I spot Heath walking quickly towards me. I flinch. This can't be good. He's glaring at me. I know what this is about. I stand firm gripping my bow tightly. I prepare myself for what is about to come.

"I don't want you fighting out there." He says angrily.

Yep, I knew this would happen. Legault even said so. I close my eyes a brief moment before glaring at him myself.

"Mark said I could so that's what I'm going to do." I return. "You can't stop me."

"That won't stop me from trying!" he says loudly.

I flinch again. He's scary when he is mad. "I'm telling you I am fine. I can fight so I will. There is no need for me to step aside and watch the others fight hard. I am going to help and you are not stopping me from doing that!" He opens his mouth to argue but I cut him off. "Look, either you are going to battle out there by my side or you can stay here and get all huffy! Either way, I'm going!"

I walk past him to the stairs where the green soldiers are guarding the room. People were already moving out to fight. I jog down the steps to be greeted by a bunch of archers. I kill the closest one to me. I watch Canas defeat another archer and so does Dart, Bartre, and Dorcas. I aim my arrow at another archer. I am about to shoot when Heath runs past me and stabs the archer through the chest with his lance. My eyes widen as he turns towards me.

"I'm always going to protect you." He says; pain within his eyes. "Never doubt that."

Before I have the chance to respond he runs farther ahead to attack another archer. As the guys continue to fight more archers I also fight. When the most of them are dealt with Heath stays close to me. We both run down the narrow hall and turn left. I notice an opened door. I glance in to see Legault at the chests. I sigh with relief. I was expecting an enemy thief in there.

Near the room I spot a shaman. I aim my arrow and fire. It hits the enemy's arm making him drop his spell book. Heath then runs up and stabs him through the stomach. He pulls out his lance and the man falls backwards. The blood pools around him.

Legault whistles low and long. I look at him to see an amused look on his face. "Nice kill. That guy had no chance."

Heath keeps his serious face as he returns to my side. "Find anything good?" I ask Legault.

Legault looks at me. "A white gem and a dragonshield."

My eyes widen slightly. "Aren't white gems worth a lot?"

He nods smiling. "It should give us plenty of money for a few supplies."

I glance around to make sure there are no enemies trying to sneak attack us. "We better keep moving."

Legault's face becomes serious. "Right. I'm going to move ahead. It might be good for you two to continue defending around here."

And with that he quickly vanishes around a corner. This leaves me and Heath alone. Not too good. I look at Heath. He is too busy surveying the area to notice my gaze. So instead I start walking towards where Legault vanished to. Someone grabs my arm and my eyes widen. I look behind me to see that Heath grabbed me.

"What is it?" I ask.

"I'm sorry I got mad at you." He says. "But I am always so worried about you that I get scared. You don't even realize how much you affect me."

My cheeks turn deep pink from his words. "I-It's alright." I stutter out. "I promise I am being careful. I-I'm sorry I scare you."

He let's go of my arm looking better. He stays close to me as we move forward. I spot a cavalier galloping in our direction. Light magic was shot at him but it misses.

"Shoot!" I hear Serra exclaim loudly. "I missed!"

I aim my arrow and shoot. It goes through the enemy's side. Heath sprints at him and stabs the horse. The horse and rider fall over. I shoot the rider through the chest to finish him off. I look at Heath and smile.

"That was awesome." I say.

He smiles making my heart flutter. "It was, wasn't it?"

We give each other a quick high-five before getting in position for any more enemies. There were only a handful left when suddenly a bunch of soldiers appear at the entrance of the castle. They look like Ostians making me feel relieved. The reinforcements have arrived!

"Lord Hector!" one of the soldiers calls out. "Are you unharmed? Protect Lord Hector! Knights of Ostia! Attack!"

The soldiers run through finishing off the remainder of enemies. Once everything was taken cared of and things calmed down I look around for my brother. Heath stays by my side the entire time. I'm glad we aren't angry at each other anymore. I like it when he is smiling much better than when he is glaring at me. I find Mark by the three lords and Athos.

"Hey, Graybeard!" Lord Hector calls out pointing at a dead body. "Are these guys…?"

"Yes, I'm sure of it." Athos replies. "They are his morphs…"

Lady Lyn looks at the dead enemies. "It's true… They're all eerily similar." She pauses as if thinking about something. "That reminds me… That man on Valor, Ephidel… Black Fang's Sonia, too… Are you saying that he made them all?"

My eyes widen. I was wondering about the same thing. I remember Ephidel having that eerie handsomeness about him. And Sonia looked beautiful yet pure evil. Shivers run up my spine. To think that those people are morphs created by Nergal.

"It is an abomination." Athos says darkly. "A crime against all that is natural. When Nergal began using morphs to carry out his plans, his power had grown beyond our ability to contain him. After humans, his next target became the essence of dragons." My eyes widen. Dragons? To think he would go after them, too! "His next target had to be Arcadia. I concealed our paradise behind a curtain of sandstorms. I then hid in the underground ruins and waited for him. I did not hope to defeat him. Just to exchange blows… and then draw him into the desert, which would be his end."

"But Nergal never showed up, did he?" Lord Eliwood asks.

Athos replies, "Correct. I've no idea how he managed it but… He called those siblings through the Dragon's Gate. And now… he plans to call a horde of dragons to this land."

I look at the ground sadly. Ninian… Nils…

"What do we have to do to stop him?" Lord Hector asks.

"Our last hope is the power of the legendary items." I look at Athos. "It would take too long for us to gather all of them. I will go to the Shrine of Seals and tell Bramimond everything. We must have his power, no matter the cost."

"Then we should go to the Dragon's Gate ahead of you." Lord Eliwood suggests.

"What?" Athos exclaims.

My eyes widen slightly. I didn't think Athos could get surprised like that. Also, Lord Eliwood sounds like his normal self. I wonder what has brought this up.

"That's a good idea." Lord Hector says. "Even though you cannot harm Nergal himself, you can certainly do some damage to his troops."

Lady Lyn adds, "If we don't answer Nergal's invitation soon… He'll continue to send out troops after us." She then exclaims sounding very strong, "If that's going to happen, we might as well take the fight to him! I won't have Lycia ravaged by any more of his acts!"

Athos looks at all of us with amazement within his eyes. "You… You truly are Roland's children." He closes his eyes. "I am old… I did not expect anything to surprise me again, and yet…"

"…Lord Athos." Lord Eliwood says waiting for him to say something.

He opens his eyes once more. "It takes the strongest of bonds to alter the course of fate. Go… Go, my youthful friends. Set your sights on the Dragon's Gate and keep moving."

We all nod at him. Mark walks away with a book in his hand. I wonder what he is reading. It could be about tactical skills or something like that. Heath looks at me and I look up at him. He walks away but his eyes stay on me. As if inviting me to follow him. Without hesitation I step by him. Together we walk down the hall. Somehow, a comfortable silence falls between us. I guess nothing truly needs to be said. Just being near him makes me feel safe and at ease. Even if my heart flutters a little bit.

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><p><strong>Well, that's it. Did you guys like it? I hope you did. It was kind of long but also kind of short. Get what I am saying? ^^' Anyway, let me thank the following reviewers.<strong>

**_AquaticSilver (Thanks for the review. Don't worry, I agree with what you are saying. Hopefully this chapter is better.)_**

**_SuperNova23 (No matter what you say, the last chapter came out on time! :P lolz. Not many people seem to be fans of EliwoodxNinian. :( I do get what you are saying, though, with the "no commitment" thing. What if you want him with another girl and that scene pops up? Very strange... XD Anyway, hope this chapte explains what's wrong with Luna. ^^')_**

**_Meru-64 (Ninian's death IS super sad! :( I really hate Nergal. XP You are so funny with the 'love triangle' thing, btw. XD Also, again, congrats on your theater thing! :D So awesome!)_**

**_patattack (Don't worry. Your idea will DEFINITELY pop up! Next chapter! Guaranteed! X) I'm glad you liked how the last chapter worked out. Hopefully this one was good, too.)_**

**_Hyralc (I understand where you are coming from. Sadly, things worked out the way they had to. :/ *shrugs* Sorry. I hope this chapter was good, though!)_**

**That's it. Oh, one last thing. I recently posted a brand new fanfic/songfic for Naruto. If you are interested check it out. It is called "Wishes and Butterflies" (Thank you, Meru-chan, for checking it out already. ^^). It is going to be short but an update will be posted everyday. I also wish to apologize that RDHS is coming out really slowly. ;_; I will continue working hard on it and I know I will be crying and smiling happily once I FINALLY POST THE DANG CHAPTER! So... bye!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hello! I apologize for this been a full week late! So much craziness is happening right now in my life! So, I have 3 computers total in my house. The one in my room, the one in my parent's room/offic, and the laptop. You guys have already heard me talk about my computer crashing, right? So I have been working on the laptop for the recent chapters. However, it decided to crash as well! So my house went from having 3 computers to only one. -_- I was already fighting for time on the laptop between my brothers and dad and now I REALLY have to fight for time. It sucks! Anyway, please enjoy this chapter and hopefully the next one will be on time.**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Fire Emblem or characters. I own Luna and Kalei.**

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><p><span>Chapter 23:<span>

During our walk Heath and I didn't go anywhere in particular. Just around the castle and a bit through the woods. We talked for a bit and it felt nice. We talked briefly about ourselves, how we were doing in the group, our past, and other things. I didn't tell him about the dream I had, though. I am going to keep it to myself for a little bit. At least until I can piece it together.

Soon Heath left to take care of Hyperion. He asked if I wanted to come with him but I turned down the offer. I need some time to myself. He didn't look like he wanted to leave me alone but he did anyway. I sigh when he is out of earshot. Good. I find a tree and lean against it. I close my eyes.

The first thing I need to figure out is who this Janelle person is. She seems familiar but I can't remember when I have seen her. The only thing I am certain of is that I feel safe around her. She seems so kind and gentle. I wish I could remember.

Another thing I need to figure out is the place Arcadia. It sounds familiar. Also, Athos looked at me when he was describing the place. He knows something. I know he does. I have this feeling at the pit of my stomach. Maybe I should talk to him about this rather than trying to figure out on my own. The problem is I don't know how. I've never actually tried talking to him one-on-one before.

"I need help." I say aloud looking ahead.

"With what?" someone asks from above.

"Eep!" I exclaim quickly moving away from the tree. I look up to see a familiar face. "Matthew!"

"What?" he asks innocently jumping down from a tree branch.

"Don't scare me like that!" Matthew crosses his arms tilting his head to the side. "Wh-What?"

He leans forward so that we are both looking into each other's eyes. "Something's on your mind."

I take a few steps back. I look off to the side. "So? It doesn't concern you."

He places his hand on my shoulder making me jump. I look at him. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" he asks raising a brow.

I turn around so my back is to him. "It's nothing important. Just me thinking."

Matthew grabs my wrist and pulls me quickly out of the woods. I want to ask where we are going but my tongue appears to be tied up. I'm not sure what is going on, either. I silently follow him back to the castle. That's when I take notice of the sky. The sun looks like it's about ready to start setting. A lot of time has passed.

We are in the castle and I notice Mark standing with the three lords. They are discussing something (of course). Matthew pulls me until we are standing with them and let's go of my wrist. That's when a man runs in handing a piece of paper to Lord Eliwood. Silently the man exits just as quickly as he had entered. Lord Eliwood reads it over before looking at all of us.

Lord Eliwood says, "We've received word from Captain Fargus. If we come to Badon, he'll give us passage to the Dread Isle."

"Well then, let's get going!" Lady Lyn exclaims.

"It would be best if we outfitted ourselves before setting out." Merlinus says suddenly appearing. My eyes widen looking at him. Where did he come from? "We will need many supplies for a campaign on Valor."

Lord Hector adds, "And the castle town here is better stocked than Badon, I'm sure. We can empty the coffers here and sell the treasures if need be."

"Harrumph!" Oswin suddenly says loudly from behind Lord Hector.

"Eep!" I exclaim hiding behind Matthew.

People need to stop sneaking up on me! It's not good for my heart! It is beating so quickly right now it's not even funny! I take a few deep breaths sneaking a peek from behind Matthew's arm. Everyone is glancing at me surprised. Lord Hector slowly turns towards Oswin and then back at us.

"…Uh… Within limits, of course." He adds in. "Say… 30,000 gold?"

Oswin crosses his arms nodding in approval. "That seems a reasonable amount."

"Come on! I'll lead the way!"

Lord Hector leaves the room with Oswin following behind. Soon Lord Eliwood and Lady Lyn also leave. Mark glances at me before following them. I look at Matthew just as he glances down at me.

"Well, shall we go?" Matthew asks smiling.

I shrug. "I guess."

_**(Later)**_

When we arrived at the place my eyes widened in awe. It's such a large place! There are so many people here! Matthew and Mark are standing on either side of me. I have a feeling if I try to run ahead they will get mad and chase after me. But still, the place is amazing!

Marcus comments with, "Ostia's castle town is as impressive as ever. Shops and items of all types imaginable."

Lord Hector nods smiling slightly. "For generations, our ancestors dedicated themselves to a sort of frugal militarism." I look at him not quite understanding what he was saying. "Nobles and commoners alike shunned extravagance. "Corrupt neither the body nor the mind," they cried! Since the time of Roland, this has been the dominant ideology of Ostia." Oh… I get it now. That is pretty neat.

"I heard that when Lord Uther first participated in the Lycian Council as Marquess Ostia," Marcus says, "he gave a scathing indictment of the peer system. Now I understand, his philosophy had its roots in the history of Ostia itself."

"That's right." Lord Hector says. The smile falls and frowns slightly. "Yet this thinking… it threatens the lifestyles of many of our aristocrats. So some groups view my brother with enmity. I must grow wiser so that I can sit at my brother's side and aid him. Of course, my fighting skills are not yet what they should be…"

My eyes widen as everyone else stays silent. Wow… that's really cool of him; to be so responsible and want to stand by his brother's side. I look over at Mark. Am I a sister he is proud of? I want to help him out and be there for him whenever I can. I want him to smile as much as possible. Mark looks down at me and I notice confusion spread across his face. I shake my head smiling.

"But this isn't the place for that kind of talk." Lord Hector says. "We've got to get going. Come on!" With that the lord walks away.

"Yes, I will go with you." Marcus adds also following him.

"…Curious." Lady Lyn says suddenly.

We all look at her. Lord Eliwood asks, "What is it, Lyndis?"

"Hector." She simply says. "He acts like such a brute, but he takes his duties seriously."

Lord Eliwood nods. He looks at the direction at which Lord Hector left. "Hector has always been a man of firm character. I've always envied him for that." He looks back at Lady Lyn. "His ability to conceal any doubts he feels about himself or his actions."

She pauses. "I know. I'm a little envious, too."

"Of what?"

"He doesn't second-guess what he must do. No hesitation." She quickly adds, "I mean, I wouldn't hesitate about anything concerning my grandfather's health. In fact, I would be happy to do anything I could." She then glances at my brother. "I thought I was all alone in the world…"

My brother nods understandingly. They met each other a long time ago when she was living on the plains by herself. Its how their journey began and everything else that followed afterwards; including me finding Mark.

"Now that I've found my family, I don't want to lose him." Lady Lyn concludes.

"I know what you mean…" Lord Eliwood says. "I can't bear to think of losing my mother. If I survive all of this, I want to be at my mother's side… to do anything she asks."

Lady Lyn gets this sad look across her face. "…Nothing is more important than family." With that comment I look up at Mark yet again. He looks at me. I think he is thinking the same thing I am. He gives me a warm smile and takes my hand. I smile brightly. "…Yet in my heart, the plains still call me…" Her eyes become distant. As if she was seeing something we couldn't. "The never-ending oceans of grass… The memory of that scene alone is enough to leave me weak."

I look at her sadly. I don't blame her. I miss home, too. I miss seeing my parents' faces a lot. I tighten my grip on Mark's hand. At that moment Arcadia pops into my mind. I silently gasp. I see a flash of a small house, Janelle, me and Mark hanging with some kids, and dragons roaming amongst the town with humans…

"Hey!" Lord Hector suddenly yells making me jump. "What're you guys doing? Let's get going! All of you!"

Lord Hector is only a few feet away standing there impatiently. Oh, boy… looks like we better get moving before he gets any angrier. The thought makes me giggle for some reason.

"Well, first we must deal with the menace before us." Lady Lyn says seriously. "If we can't stop Nergal, we lose everything dear to us." A slight pause before she finishes with, "Let's go."

She walks away towards Lord Hector smiling at him as if nothing happened. We were left standing there.

"Everything dear to us…" Lord Eliwood whispers. I turn to him looking confused. He looks at me and smiles kindly. "It's nothing. Come, we should get our shopping trip done."

I nod. Mark lets go of my hand and leaves with Lord Eliwood to meet up with the other two lords along with Marcus. I see him writing things down on several sheets of paper. He is also talking with Merlinus who had brought his carriage with him. Probably checking to see what supplies we need.

"You okay, Luna?" Matthew asks.

I look at him and smile laughing softly. "Sorry. I kind of spaced out."

He smiles. "If you say so." He links arms with me playfully asking, "Shall we regroup with the others, milady?"

I giggle. "We shall, sir." I return jokingly.

We walk together to where the others are standing. Mark spots us and hands us both a piece of paper.

"Luna, the supplies I need you to pick up are in the nearby vendor over there." He says pointing. I turn around and see the shop. "Matthew, I need you to stop by the armory close to that vendor and pick up these items." I look back at my brother. He hands both of us a small bag of money and a bag to carry the supplies.

"Alright." I say in reply.

"Got it." Matthew says.

Suddenly I hear Bartre yell, "You! Wench!"

My eyes widen and look for him. I see him standing by an arena looking at a woman with long black hair and Sacaen clothing. She looks familiar for some reason. Not her personally, but something about the air around her seems familiar. Matthew and I, unlinking our arms, walk over to see what the commotion is about.

"Meeting me here will be your doom!" Bartre continues. "I must erase the same I met on the Western Isles!" He raises his axe in her direction. "Come! We duel!"

She pauses before recognition crosses her face. It's hard to read, though, since her face is mainly expressionless. "Oh, I remember you. You're the guy who came out of nowhere and challenged me… The one I knocked out with my first sword stroke."

My eyes widen. Seriously? Just one stroke! She must be skilled.

Bartre glares at the woman. "The Bartre before you is not the same one you faced then! I will have my revenge for the Isles here in Ostia! Now, dig up some courage, and do your worst!"

I look between the two. Should I do something? I don't think fighting would be a good idea in a busy area like this. Should I stop them, then?

"Hmmm… I did not come here looking for a fight." She states simply. I sigh with relief. "But how can I refuse you your revenge?" My eyes widen again. This can't be good. "Let us begin." She says while she unsheathes her sword that has been attached to a belt around her waist.

I want to stop them but Matthew holds me back. "Don't get in the way." He says. "Just let them fight."

I look at him doubtfully but nod anyway. I look back at Bartre and the woman. Bartre charges at her with his large axe. He swings but she smoothly dodges. With amazing speed she slashes at him diagonally with her blade. Bartre jumps back but a fine line appears across his chest ripping his shirt and making blood appear. I noticed the woman's eyes grow slightly wide but the shocked expression goes away just as quickly as it came. She moves to attack him again but this time he makes a clear dodge. They both stop.

"Oh…" the woman says. "It seems you've improved some."

"Quiet!" Bartre yells. I can tell that he is very pumped about this fight. "We've only just started. Continue!"

She ignores his outburst. "So tell me, where have you been training?"

"I serve Lord Eliwood now." He grins with pride. "I'm working as a guard for him! Tough opponents every day, but we just tear 'em up and cast 'em aside!"

I cover my mouth giggling. It's funny how he brags about our own group. I can hear Matthew chuckling softly.

"Ha… That's interesting." She says sounding amused. "If that's the case, I think I'll join you."

"What?" Bartre asks. I can't help but think the same thing.

She explains, "My brother gravitates toward strong warriors… This journey of yours sounds like a dangerous one. Joining you might help me find him sooner."

"I don't know what you mean! What about our duel?" Bartre exclaims.

"We'll put it on hold." Her voice sounds strong as she says, "Don't worry. I don't run away. I like you. It would be a waste to kill you here." She glares at him. "Someday I'll finish you in an appropriate fashion!"

"Hmm…" Bartre grins glaring at her. "Okay! Agreed! You're now my sworn enemy, wench!"

The woman simply nods. She then walks over to us. I gulp. Bartre runs to Serra and she heals him up grumbling about something that I can't hear.

"You are in the same group as the warrior, right?" the woman asks. I nod. "Who is the leader?"

"My brother is the tactician." I answer. I point at the carriage. "He should be over there."

She nods before walking away. I look at her with curiosity. I don't quite understand her. I just shrug it off, however. I'll think about it another time. Matthew and I walk towards the shops we were assigned to go to. While walking a thought comes to me.

"Hey, Matthew?" I ask.

"Yes?"

I pause trying to piece my thoughts together. "Um… Are you…" I press my lips together. "Do you and Heath not get along?" I finally ask.

I turn to Matthew to see a confused look on his face. "What do you mean?" he asks.

"When you came in to visit me after I got sick I saw you two glare at each other." I explain. "Did something happen?"

It takes a minute before Matthew's eyes widen. I can tell he knows what I am talking about now. Suddenly, he starts laughing. I look at him confused. He wraps his arm around me.

"Well, you see, Heath is struggling with his… feelings." He says. I am still confused. Seeing this, he continues. "He is experiencing the emotion of jealousy."

"Jealousy?"

"That's right; jealousy."

I frown in confusion. "Jealousy over what?"

Matthew chuckles. "He doesn't like it when I, or any other guy for that matter, hangs around you."

My eyes widen. "But you and the others are my friends."

"I know." Matthew says. "I see you as a younger sister." This makes me smile. "However, little Heath doesn't quite understand that. Basically he hates my guts."

"Just because you hang around me?"

"Precisely." Though Matthew has an amused look on his face I was feeling bad. Matthew notices this and hugs me closer. "It's not a big deal, Luna. If you want you can go talk to him later."

I nod. "That sounds like a good idea." I smile at him. "Thanks, Matthew."

"Anytime." He replies.

Matthew lets go of me as we reach the shop. I enter the vendor while Matthew continues walking towards the armory. I look around and pick up all of the things that are on the list. I place them in the bag before going to the counter. A nice woman with long blond hair and wearing a beautiful white dress smiles at me. I show her the list of things I got. She nods telling me the price. I give her the amount due. Once that is done I am able to leave. The bag is kind of heavy but I only have to carry it up to Merlinus' carriage.

On the way back Matthew catches up with me holding his bag of supplies. We walk to the carriage and place the supplies in there. We return any leftover money to Mark. We patiently wait for the others to return. When everyone does return with the supplies needed Lord Eliwood looked at all of us.

"That should cover it." He says. "Let's head out for Badon. Then to the Dread Isle!"

Everyone cheers in agreement. We head back towards the castle. Meanwhile, I try to think of how I can talk to Heath. Well… maybe I should figure out how to talk to Athos, first.

_**(Much Later)**_

"Luna, Luna, Luna!" Serra exclaimed grabbing my arm.

My eyes widen as I look at her. "What is it?" I ask.

"Come!" she orders pulling on my arm.

I let her lead me out of the castle and through the woods. We walk for what feels like a while before a clearing appears. In the center of that clearing is something that makes me smile brightly feeling excited.

"A hot spring!"

"I know!" Serra exclaims. "Florina found it earlier when she was flying around!"

She pulls on my arm some more until we are actually at the hot spring. Many of the girls from the group are already here and in the steaming water. I spot Florina just as she smiles at me.

"I-I thought it would be g-good to tell Serra about it since she wanted t-to find one." She says to me.

I nod smiling. "Good job, Florina."

With that she blushes. I take off my boots and tie my hair up in a bun on the top of my head. Serra hands me a towel. I nod in thanks. Serra has removed her clothes and wraps herself up in a towel. She is quickly in the water sighing happily.

"Now _this_ is the life!" she exclaims loudly.

Hesitantly I get myself prepped to get in the water. Soon I am sitting between Serra and Florina enjoying the water. The steam seems to be getting rid of all my stress. My body no longer feels tense. I could just relax and forget that we are supposed to leave for a very big battle tomorrow morning. I look behind me to see the woman who fought Bartre sitting on a rock holding her blade in one hand while staring into the woods.

"Isn't she going to get in?" I ask aloud.

"Oh, Karla? She is here as a guard." Serra says.

"A guard?" I ask looking at her. "From what?"

"Peepers."

My eyes widen scanning the woods around us. Would we know if someone was staring at us? I grow uneasy at the thought. I cross my arms trying to not think of it.

"Relax!" Serra says. "We're fine!" She grins at me. "We will kill whoever tries to stare at us." She flips her long pink her back sighing dramatically. "Oh, if only I wasn't so beautiful. I have such an amazing charm that men can't resist. They can't help but try to sneak glances at me."

"S-Serra…" Florina says.

I laugh softly. Oh, Serra. You never fail to make me laugh. I don't say this out loud, of course. She would probably just get mad at me. I close my eyes hearing other girls talk to each other. Serra starts chattering at Florina and she stays silent.

"Luna!" a familiar voice calls happily.

I open my eyes to see the girl swim over to me. I smile. "Oh, hi. How are you, Nino?"

"I'm good." She replies. "You?"

"Same."

It becomes silent. Nino looks uncomfortable about something. I wait patiently for her to say something. After a minute she sighs.

"Can I… talk to you about something?" she asks.

"Sure." I reply.

"Alone." She adds.

My eyes widen slightly. "Oh… alright."

We both step out of the hot spring and sit on a log only a few feet away. Nino places her hands on her lap swinging her legs back and forth. She doesn't say anything at first. I can tell that she is trying to piece her thoughts together.

"Um…" she says.

"Yes?" I ask smiling.

Nino blushes. "I-I… I think I…" She closes her eyes frustrated. She blurts, "I think I really like Jaffar." She looks at me as her cheeks are now a bright red.

My eyes are wide. I then beam barely able to contain my excitement. "That's so cute!" I exclaim.

She twiddles her fingers looking at her lap. "Thanks." I look at her with concern. Something is still bothering her. "But… I don't know what he thinks of me." I don't mean to but I end up laughing. She looks at me confused. "What's so funny?"

I smile brightly at Nino. "I can tell he cares about you a lot." I say.

Nino's eyes widen. "Really?"

I nod. "It's really obvious."

She smiles hugging me. "Thanks, Luna! I knew I could talk to you about this!"

I hug her back. "Of course you can. I'm supposed to be your big sister, aren't I?"

This makes Nino giggle. "Right." We let go and she stands up. "I'm going to head back to camp."

She turns to leave but I quickly grab her arm. She looks at me confused. "Don't forget to change." I say pointing at the towel wrapped around her body.

She looks down and blushes laughing. "Thanks."

When Nino leaves I laugh. She is so adorable! I wish she really was my younger sister. I'm sure she would have been fun to have around back home with Mark and my parents. I stand up and change back into my dress and slip my boots on.

Rustling is suddenly heard within a pair of bushes nearby. My eyes widen and the girls freeze. We all wait tensely to see what (or who) it is. Karla is standing with her sword drawn. After a minute a rabbit hops from the bushes. Everyone relaxes. A few go "awe" at it while I am giggling. Karla sits on the rock once more looking bored.

It is now very dark but the girls have lanterns by the hot spring so they are fine. Walking through the woods, however, is scary. I hear a snapping noise making me jump. Then I realize that I stepped on a twig. I laugh nervously making my way through the woods. When I am out I sigh with relief. I quickly jog over to the castle and enter. Ostian soldiers are around but I don't see a familiar face. The guys are probably hanging out somewhere or just in their rooms.

Down the long hallways I go trying to locate my room. I turn a corner and nearly gasp. It's Athos walking in my direction. I am about to turn around when I realize something. This is my chance to talk to him about what has been bothering me. I walk up to him and he spots me.

"Hello, child." He greats smiling.

I smile back nodding. I nervously scratch the back of my head. "Do you think that I could talk to you for a minute?"

"Of course." He replies. "What is it that you want to say?"

I pause taking a deep breath. "Well, you see…"

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><p><strong>Hopefully this chapter was good! I knew it would be short due to the shopping and no fighting so I thought it would be fun to put in a bunch of my own original scenes within it. ^^ I wanted to make this chapter really fun with a pinch of seriousness. XD Let me thank my following reviewers:<strong>

_**SuperNova23 (I can't believe the last chapter was on time according to your phone! :D It's my best friend now! XD Thanks for giving me that link. It was VERY helpful for this chapter! ^^)**_

_**AquaticSilver (Hpefully the MatthewxLunaxHeath thing makes sense now. ^^ I hope this chapter makes your day, too. X) )**_

_**Meru-64 (Mark and Luna's past will be made clear in the next chapter. And Heath, well... ;) No comment.)**_

_**patattack (Hopefully this chapter was good and I'm glad you liked that bit with Janelle. Things will be clear next chapter.)**_

_**[Anonymous person] (I don't know who you are but thanks for the review! XD It is sad that the end is coming. :( But, all good things have to end at some point. Sorry you didn't like the bugbite thing or the fighting. The bugbite was thought of on the spot and not really planned. XD Glad you liked that Athos scene and Janelle, though. Maybe you like this chapter better? *shrugs* XD)**_

**That's it with reviews! I am debating on making the next chapter NOT based on the storyline. I think it will be a filler chapter with dialogue, explanations, ect. Idk. What do you guys think? Oops, I better go. I'm watching my brothers for the whole entire day! o.o... XD Until next Saturday... sayonara!**


	24. Chapter 24

**I'M SOOOOO SORRY, EVERYONE! ;_; It has been very hectic trying to get this chapter done! I know it is really late but I am just happy that I can finally post it! *cries* School has been no help to my scheduling what so ever! Plus with the whole 3-to-1-computer situation**** hasn't helped, either. Is there any good news within this? Yes, actually. I have bought MY OWN LAPTOP! :D Now I can have more chances to work on my stories than before! *happy tears* Now, let's move on with the actual story! *cheers***

**Disclaimer: I do not own the game or characters. I own Luna, Kalei, and mostly Mark. ^^'  
><strong>

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><p><span>Chapter 24:<span>

I am such a klutz today. I can't seem to multitask at all. Either I focus my body on walking or I focus my mind on my thoughts. Apparently my mind keeps winning because I find myself continuing to trip or drop my bow. The people in the group that are near me start to notice this and keep their eye on me. Serra stands right in front of me with her hands on her hips. I almost didn't notice this until she said something.

"What's wrong with you?" Serra asks.

My eyes grow wide as I stop. "What?" I ask.

"I asked what's wrong with you." She says looking annoyed.

"U-Um…"

"If you tell nothing I'm going to slap you." I gulp. Serra sighs shaking her head. "I swear, Luna..." She then points at me accusingly. "Something is bothering you and I know it! Tell me what it is!" I take a step back.

"Calm down, Serra."

I look behind Serra just as she turns around. The person that just spoke was Erk. His arms are crossed as he looks down at her. Serra's eyes widen.

"Erk!" She exclaims.

Erk looks at me and bows his head slightly. "I apologize for Serra."

Serra was about to object when Erk grabs her arm and pulls her more to the front of the group. I watch silently as they disappear. It takes a while for things in my head to click and for me to understand what just happened. Instead of pondering on it for too long I just continue to walk so I don't end up falling behind. This time I make sure to focus on moving and not stumbling like a complete idiot.

_**(Later)**_

"For the last time, Sain, put me down!" I exclaim at the cavalier.

"Nope." Sain replies.

I can definitely hear the smirk within his voice. This makes me mad. Sain thought it would be funny to pick me up and have it so my stomach was on his shoulder and his arm around my waist. It feels like I am nothing but a bag to carry. Plus, Sain is strange when it comes to women…

"Sain!" I exclaim in frustration.

"Yes?" he asks innocently.

I glare at him the best I can. "Put. Me. Down."

"I thought you weren't going to ask again."

"Argh!"

Sain laughs. I sigh in defeat. Instead, I look around. Badon is exactly like how I remembered it since the last time we came here. The people are somewhat busy with their daily lives and there are pirates around. Including the crew that helped us last time. Captain Fargus is talking with Lord Eliwood as the ship is being loaded with our supplies. Most of the people from our group are working and talking at the same time. There are a few, however, that are just talking.

"Sain." Someone almost growls.

I look to see that Kent is standing in front of Sain. I beam with joy. Maybe he has come to save me!

"Hello there, Kent!" Sain says cheerfully. "How may I help you?"

Kent continues to glare at him. "What are you doing with Luna?"

"Oh, nothing. Just carrying the damsel around."

I look at him. "Excuse me? Who's the damsel?"

Kent doesn't look amused. "Put her down."

"Why?" Sain steps closely to Kent. "Is that an order?" he asks mockingly.

The red cavalier just stands there as they look at each other. With no warning Sain suddenly starts sprinting in the opposite direction.

My eyes are wide. "Eep!"

"Hey!" Kent suddenly yells. "Get back here!"

"Or what?" Sain taunts over his shoulder.

Kent sprints towards us. This only makes Sain laugh loudly. People stare as we run through the town. It felt like the chase was never going to end. I want the chase to end! We turn a corner into a dark alley. Sain places me down on the ground silently. Kent runs right past the alley. I try to call out for him when my mouth is covered. I look at Sain to see him shaking his head smirking.

"Let's torment him for a bit." He says winking.

He removes his hand as I glare at him. "That's not nice."

He just shrugs. "I haven't had many chances to mess with him recently."

I shake my head smiling. "You are unbelievable."

"I think you mean charming."

This just makes me laugh.

"Hey, you."

I freeze in place. Slowly, I turn around to see a four guys standing there. They are each holding a weapon of some kind. A few have scars on them and their clothes are dirt covered with rips here and there. My eyes widen.

"You came to the wrong place." One of them says darkly.

Sain grabs my arm and pulls me back towards the entrance only to be blocked by two more guys. To say we were in trouble would be an understatement.

"We don't want any trouble." Sain says.

"Who cares what you want?" another guy says. "What about what we want?"

"You expect us to give two cents?" I ask angrily.

"Luna. Don't." Sain whispers.

"What did you say, girly?" the second guy says.

"Um… nothing?" I say smiling nervously.

"You better hope so." A third guy says. "We can easily kill you two right here."

Sain, without warning, kicks a guy blocking the way to the street. My eyes grow wide. A man tries to attack him with an axe.

"Look out!" I exclaim.

Sain dodges the attack and throws him to the ground. I can't help but feel amazed at how strong and quick he is. A very dependable person.

"Run!" Sain yells at me.

I snap out of my thoughts. I move to run when a guy from behind me grabs me in a tight, strangling grasp. I squirm trying to break free but the man is too strong.

"Let go of me!" I yell.

I knife is pointed at my throat making stop moving.

"Shut up." He says.

"Luna!" Sain exclaims.

He runs towards me when a guy from behind him kicks him making him fall to the ground.

"Sain!" I exclaim.

"I said shut up!"

The knife's point is dangerously close to my throat. My body is trembling. We are in huge trouble now. Sain tries to stand up but a man places his foot harshly on his back. A sword is pointed at his neck.

"Don't pull a stunt like that again." The man says.

I glare at the man. I have to do something. I can't just stand here and do nothing. What can I do, though? There is a knife pointed at my throat and a bunch of other guys around. Sain has a sword being pointed at him as well. Is there any way we can make it out without getting harmed?

I gulp before making my final decision. I breathe in very deeply. A very loud scream escapes my mouth. It must have been high pitched due to everyone around me flinching and covering their ears. I hold it out for as long as possible. I feel a sharp pinch on my throat. That's when I stop.

"Luna!" Heath yells.

I look at the entrance of the alley and my eyes widen. Standing there is Heath, Legault, and Kent. A large grin spreads across my face. A strong sense of relief flows through my body seeing them here. I have full faith in them that we are now safe.

Legault smirks. "I would stop if I were you."

The guy that is holding me laughs. "Or what?"

Legault vanishes and reappears right in front of me. I gasp. The arms around me tense. "I was hoping you would ask that." He says still smiling.

Next thing I know the guy's arm gets a deep cut from Legault's knife. The grip around me loosens. Legault grabs me and pushes me behind him. I am too startled to catch my footing so I stumble. I almost fall when arms catch me. I look up to see it is Heath that has caught me.

When he looks at me I feel stunned. His eyes look so angry and pained. He helps me stand up straight before walking past me. I watch as he goes and punches the guy straight in the face. I cover my mouth in surprise. The man stumbles back. Heath moves in for another punch. I shake my head slowly. No… stop, Heath! This isn't like you!

I sprint towards him. "Stop!" I yell.

I grab his arm and hold it as tightly as possible. He tries to break free but I stand my ground.

"Let go." He says darkly. I shut my eyes tightly as I shake my head. "Let go!" he yells. I cringe but I continue holding him arm.

"Stop it, Heath." Legault says. Heath stops struggling. I open my eyes and look to see Legault facing them. "You guys better leave now." He holds up his knife that now has some fresh blood on it. "Or else we will change our minds about letting you live." They don't waste time. They sprint away until there is nothing but dust left. The thief turns and smiles at us. "Well, that was fun." He says.

My eyes are wide. I lose grip of Heath's arm. "H-Huh?" I ask in disbelief.

Legault walks right past us. "Come on. Time to go." Legault pauses looking at me. "Oh, your throat is bleeding."

I place my hand there and feel a small amount of liquid. My eyes widen slightly. The knife must have done then when I was screaming. Legault a thin strip of cloth from his robe and wraps it around my neck.

"We'll have someone look at it later." He says.

I smile. "Thanks."

Legault nods leaving. Kent and Sain follow behind. I can hear Kent scolding Sain very clearly. Oh, boy… He must be really mad. I blink a few times. That reminds me. I turn to Heath. When I do I am grabbed into a very tight hug. Things keep taking me by surprise I don't know how much shock I have left within me.

"H-Heath?" I stutter out.

"Luna." He whispers in my ear. My cheeks burn a furious red. "I was so afraid. Yet there you stood, brave and strong."

I wrap my arms around him hiding my face in his shoulder. I body starts to shake. Tears are welling up but I can't stop them. I can feel that his shirt is becoming damp. I try to pull back but Heath starts stroking my hair gently. This just makes me want to cry more. Instead, I control myself.

I fight almost every day. Something like this shouldn't be fazing me. Heath's face, however… Maybe that's why I'm so emotional. I caused him to worry about me. I don't want him to feel like that. I want him to smile his handsome smile. His sad face makes me feel sad, too. Soon I am able to step away and rub my eyes while looking at the ground.

"Are you okay?" Heath asks.

I smile sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry." I laugh softly. "Not quite like fighting on the battlefield, huh?"

Heath's hand is on my shoulder making me look up. "I'm just glad you're safe." When I don't say anything he just smiles. "We better rejoin the others."

I smile. "Right."

We walk out of the alley and turn the corner just to see Legault leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He is smirking as he looks at us.

"You lovebirds done?" he asks teasingly.

My face becomes hot.

"L-Legault!" Heath says angrily.

I look at him to see that his face is also red. First I'm giggling. Then, before I could stop myself, I was laughing. Heath still looked embarrassed but he was smiling, too. Legault just looks at the both of us with that mischievous look on his face. He links arms with me and Heath pulling us along. None of us argue.

We were close to the ship when a shop catches my interest. I unlink myself from Legault and stand in front of the window looking in. On display were many beautiful jewelries like necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings. I stare in awe glancing over them. They all looked so shiny and clean. Fancy, too. Even the simple ones had a special shine to them making it hard to tear my eyes away.

"Girls will be girls." Legault says from behind me. "Even a fighter can't resist pretty things."

I look at him smiling. "They really are nice." I glance at the jewelry once more. "I can't remember the last time I owned any kind of jewelry. I was always afraid of somehow breaking them." I giggle. "Mark thinks I'm stupid for thinking like that."

Legault chuckles. "Mark is a funny guy." I look at him curiously. He looks at me smiling. "You guys are really good siblings. I can tell he cares about you a lot."

I blush. "You think so?"

He nods. Legault smirks pointing at Heath who is standing on the other side of him. "He can back me up on this."

I look at Heath confused. He blushes slightly glaring at the thief. "Legault..."

"I'm just teasing." Legault says patting Heaths back.

The three of us link arms again. As we walk away I find myself already missing the jewelry shop.

_**(Later)**_

"Are you going to be alright, Guy?" I ask him.

All the supplies have been packed onto the ship and our group is boarding the ship. Guy has been staring at the ship with hatred. I can understand why that is. He looks at me. Is it just me or does his face already look pale?

"I have to." Guy replies. "How else am I going to be the best swordsman ever?"

I smile patting his back. "Come on, then."

We climb onto the ship. Guy wobbles slightly so I grab his arm to keep him steady.

"S-Sorry, Luna." He says.

"It's okay." I say.

"Still not good on boats, huh?" Matthew asks teasingly.

Guy glares at him. "Don't even start."

"Oh, but I already have."

Guy and I look at him confused. Matthew points at his head. Guy pats his head. I look and gasp. His headband is gone. He realizes this, too, and glares at Matthew.

"You…" he says darkly. Ah oh… This isn't going to end well. "Give it back, thief!" he yells sprinting towards Matthew.

The thief (technically assassin) proceeds to run away laughing. The two chase each other around the ship. I giggle a bit before deciding on what to do. I walk to the railing and look out. The sun is setting leaving a nice glow over the ocean. I lean against the railing and stare. The ship leaves the docks and we are now sailing towards the Dread Isle. I shiver slightly.

"You okay?" Mark asks from next to me.

I turn to him and smile. "I'm alright."

"I heard about what happened in town."

I flinch scratching the back of my head. "O-Oh, really?"

"You need to be more careful."

I sigh. Geez, he's very straight forward. "I know."

Mark wraps his arm around me. "You are very important to me."

I smile wrapping my arm around him. "You are important to me, too." Something then comes to mind. "Oh!"

Mark looks at me curiously. "What is it?"

I back away from him and turn so we are both facing each other. "I've been meaning to ask you about something."

"What is it?" he prompts.

I pause thinking about how I was going to word things that were going through my mind. I take a deep breath.

"Did we grow up around dragons?" I ask. His eyes widen slightly. "In a place called Arcadia?"

That's when his eyes become extremely wide. This confirms my thoughts. The reason I was so distracted this morning was because of my discussion with Athos. I couldn't get my mind off of it while I was trying to piece together my past.

"How did you hear about that?" He asks.

"Um…"

_**(Flashback)**_

"_I remember you and your family from when you used to live in Arcadia." Athos said._

_My eyes widened. "I really lived there?"_

_He nodded. "Your mother was pregnant with you when she, her husband, and your brother moved there. He was 4 at the time."_

"_How come I don't know about this?"_

"_You were born soon after. Your parents left to find a different place to live. You were 2 when your family moved again." Athos responded. "A really young age for you to remember things."_

_I nodded my head understanding. "Why did we move, though?"_

_Athos paused thinking. "They had found the perfect home in Bern for you all to live in. Also…" He became hesitant._

"_What? Please continue." I nearly begged._

_He sighed. "There was an accident with you and a dragon child." I waited for him to continue. "You two were playing when suddenly the child changed into their dragon form. You ran but the child stumbled and ended up scratching your back."_

_I placed a hand on my back. "The long scar here… I've seen it once but I never questioned it." My hand returned to my side. "I was never told about it, either."_

_**(End Flashback)**_

Mark gets this sad look on his face. "Athos… I remember him vaguely from back then."

I glare at him. "How come no one ever told me?"

"We thought it would be best for you."

I hug myself. "Don't you think it would have been good for me to know? The unexplained scar on my back." I close my eyes. "When those wyverns came and attacked our town I thought something felt vaguely familiar about them. They reminded me of the dragons that we used to live with." I glare at the ground. "Because of them I became terrified."

Mark reaches his hand out towards me. I take a step back. "Luna-"

"Sorry." I say quickly. "I need time to think."

I walk away from Mark and towards a door on the ship. I step through and walk deeper into the ship. The farther down I go the more alone I feel. I shouldn't have gotten mad at Mark. I have no right to. But I feel like I've been sheltered too much. Did they think I wouldn't have been able to handle this? It would have been nice to know!

I accidently bump into someone. I glance up to see it's Jaffar. "Sorry." I mumble before walking past him.

"Wait." He says. I stop and turn to face him. "Have you seen Nino?"

I shrug. "Check on deck."

I turn around and keep walking. I find a corner and sit in it. I glance up at the ceiling breathing deeply. I need to calm down. I can't let this get to me. I'm probably acting childish. This is something I do realize. I just need a moment. Hopefully I will feel better once the frustration is out of me. I close my eyes.

"_Luna…" someone says within the darkness._

"_Janelle?" I ask._

_She appears before me. She is smiling. "Don't be upset with your brother. He feels badly about what happened."_

_I hug myself. "He should have told me. Why didn't he?"_

"_He did want to tell you." She responds. "Your parents didn't believe you were ready, though."_

"_They didn't bother to think about how I would feel!" I shout. "I'm not a little girl! Something like that isn't going to ruin the rest of my life!"_

_Janelle hugs me suddenly. "It's alright, child. Calm down and relax." I breathe slowly to calm myself. "You should talk to your brother, now. Mark is feeling very guilty right now. You are the only one to make him feel better."_

"Luna!" Farina yells. My eyes open wide while my heart beats a mile a second. "Where are you?"

"O-Over here!" I call.

Farina turns to corner and spots me. She then squats down. "I don't know what happened but I think you and Mark need to hug it out."

"B-But…"

Farina sighs in an annoyed way. "You guys are brother and sister. No matter what you two love each other, right?"

"Of course." I say.

She frowns. "So go and hug it out."

I glance at the ground. "It's not that easy."

"What are you talking about?" she yells at me. I look at her startled. "Whenever me, Fiora, or Florina get in a fight things are bad for a little bit. Then we hug it out and everything is back to normal! Florina usually cries but its all good! We love each other no matter what!" She pulls me up and pushes me harshly. I stumble but I don't fall. "Now go already!" she yells angrily.

Scared out of my mind I run away from her and towards the deck. Geez! She is super scary! How does anyone deal with her? How did Florina and Fiora _survive_! I am soon on deck and am glancing around. I can see that Jaffar has found Nino and they are now walking around together.

I then see Mark at the end of the ship. He is already walking in my direction but doesn't spot me right away. It's only when he is a foot away does he notice. He stops in place. We are both frozen in place just staring at one another.

Finally I walk up to him and hug him. "I had no right to get mad at you." I say. "I'm sorry. It must have been hard for you, too."

Mark hugs me back. "It's okay. I should be apologizing. I should have told you no matter what. I know you are not a little girl."

I smile. "I act like one, though."

"Only sometimes." He comments.

I giggle.

_**(Much Later)**_

It is now night time. A bunch of girls had decided to form a circle on the deck and just talk; stories from back home, family members, who we like, who we don't like, how we were feeling, and other things. It feels nice. I think this is a way for us to not feel lonely and not so homesick. To have a bunch of laughs and be happy. It definitely would be good because we aren't that far from Dread Isle. We need time to have fun before the extreme fighting begins.

Some guys join us and talk. Then the pirate crew joins bringing along with them quite a bit of alcohol. Right away most of us are drinking. I am mindful and try to stay away from the beverages. I was shocked when I saw Florina drinking. Her cheeks are a rosy color telling me that she is already drunk. Lady Lyn also appears to be drunk but is acting happy-go-lucky. I can't help but laugh at the two. Lord Hector is by Florina drinking but looking like he always does. I wonder if he is used to drinking.

Lowen and Rebecca are together also looking drunk. The cavalier is trying to hold her back as she is yelling things looking cheerful and laughing uncontrollably. It is a site to see, let me tell you. Bartre, somehow no surprise to me, is happily drunk also yelling things. Karla is trying to calm him down. He then starts singing some drinking song and everyone starts to sing along (or at least attempt to).

Dart basically forces me to take a bottle of something. I take a swig of it and nearly cough it up. It has a very bitter taste to it. Against my better judgment I take another swig of it before handing it back to him. Farina and Mark are sitting close together. I smile to myself seeing how happy they look together. Another drink is handed to me by Sain.

"Come on, girl!" he nearly shouts. "Drink! Loosen up and have fun!"

I take it and gulp almost more than half of it down. I hiccup before handing it back to him grinning widely.

"I am having fun!" I exclaim at him.

He laughs. "Good! Everyone should!"

The sound of a fiddle comes to my ears. Someone is playing music. I don't know who but it sounds upbeat and fun. People stand up to go dance. Sain pulls me up and moves me to an open spot. We dance quickly together. Then somehow I am handed over to my brother. Mark and I are dancing.

"Having fun?" he asks.

I smile. "Of course."

I am then handed over to Matthew. He smirks at me.

"You look drunk." He comments.

"I think I'm getting there." I say.

The song ends and we stop to clap. Another song plays. It is a bit slower. Mathew excuses himself to find some beer. Legault comes over to me and moves me so I am dancing with him.

"How is your night going, madam?" he asks in an exaggeratingly polite manner.

"Pleasantly, good sir." I reply in the same tone.

We laugh. "I think I know someone who would very much like to dance with you."

I look at him confused. "Who would that be?"

He smirks. "A certain wyvern rider we all know and love."

Before I could respond he hands me over to the very person he was talking about. Legault bows before disappearing to somewhere. Heath is blushing but we dance. As we move I can feel that his arms are holding me very gently. When it becomes very slow I wrap my arms behind his neck and rest my head against his chest. His arms are around my waste while his head rests on top of mine. I close my eyes smiling. I feel myself dozing off. We move in a slow circle just listening to the music. It's only thing keeping me awake.

"Hey, Heath?" I ask tiredly.

"Hm?" he replies.

"Do you think you could…?" I hiccup making me giggle. "I'm drunk, aren't I?"

Heath chuckles. "Maybe you should go rest."

I hug him closer. "Noooo." I whine. "I don't wanna." I look up at him. His cheeks are a bright red. I poke his cheek smiling. "You look drunk, too."

He looks away. "C-C-Come on." He stutters.

Heath moves my arms from around his neck. He then picks me up bridal style.

I giggle. "I feel like a princess!" I exclaim. I lean against him closing my eyes. "And you are my knight in shining armor."

He carries me past the crowds of people on the deck of the ship. I open my eyes to see Mark and Farina hugging each other. I smile. They are a cute couple. I hope they stay together forever and ever. Within the ship we are away from the sounds of the people on the deck. It has become very quiet. When we walk by a room, however, I hear what sounds like two people making out. This makes me giggle.

Heath has carried me to my room and lies me on the bed. He covers me with the blanket. He looks like he is about to leave so I panic. I sit up and grab the sleeve of his arm tightly. His eyes grow wide looking at me.

"Please." I say barely above a whisper. "D-Don't leave…" He sighs heavily sitting beside me. "Lie down!" I whine.

He does looking uncomfortable. This doesn't register in my head. Instead I curl up beside him closing my eyes. He wraps his arms around me. I feel very warm and safe. Like a little child sleeping with their parent. I feel my hair get gently moved from my face. Then there is a peck on my forehead.

"I love you." is whispered in my ear.

That's when I fall asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>That's the end of this chapter. This was particularly a fun and, let's just say, interesting chapter to write. ;) I'm going to do a quick thanks to the following reviewers because I am tired and this took me forever to finish. XP<strong>

_**SuperNova23**_

_**Meru-64**_

_**patattack**_

_**AquaticSilver**_

_**Hyralc**_

_****_**That's it. I'm hoping that the next chapter will actually be posted ON TIME! Until then... Can you guess what I'm going to say? SAYONARA! XD lolz**


	25. Chapter 25

**OH MY GOSH! I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER GET THIS DONE! With school getting in the way and Christmas just around the corner I had work up to my neck trying to get things done! I was so busy I never got to get this finished on time! This is so late I feel really bad! ;_; I didn't abandon this story! I never would after coming so close to finishing it! This will get finished, I promise! So don't ever think that I ditched it! We are so, so, so, so, so very close! :D Alright, I'm done rambling. Go and read already!**

_**Disclaimer:**__** I don't own anything, blah blah blah. I own Luna, partial Mark, and Kalei. That's it. Have fun. ^^**_

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 25:<span>

_"Luna."_

_ I slowly open my eyes. Janelle is standing right in front of me._

_ "Hi." I say smiling. _

_I have gotten used to her appearing by now. It's very comforting, actually._

"_You sure were reckless last night." She says chuckling. "Drinking so much."_

_I blush pouting. "I didn't mean to…"_

_She pats my head. "It's alright. I thought you were very cute."_

_I look at her confused. "How do you-?"_

"_I'm always watching over you, child." She says. "To make sure you stay safe."_

"_Why now, though?" I ask. "I haven't talked to you like this before."_

_Though she is smiling I can see sadness within her eyes. There is something she is not saying. I can already tell before she opens her mouth to answer._

"_That's nothing needing to be concerned with now. Another time I shall explain."_

_I want to know more but I know she won't tell me. It would be futile to push her. Instead, I decide to change the topic._

"_You looked after Mark and I while my parents looked for a home, right?"_

_Janelle nods smiling more genuinely. "That's correct. You two were so fun to take care of." She laughs. "I remember the adventures you guys had."_

_I perk up with interest. "Like…?"_

"_One time Mark was convinced that there was treasure somewhere near our house." She says. "He grabbed a few friends and was digging around looking for 'clues'."_

"_How did that turn out?"_

"_When you started helping you found a box filled with pretty rocks. After that the guys thought you were some kind of good luck charm. Even a few had a crush on you. Mark got very protective of you and tried to keep you away from every boy around."_

_My eyes widen. "That explains a lot, actually."_

_We both laugh. Janelle looks around. "It looks like it is time for you to wake up."_

_I look at her sadly. "Do I have to?"_

_She places a hand on my shoulder. "Yes, child. You are going to have a big headache so here is my advice to you; drink some water. Even herbal tea if you can find any."_

_I groan. "This isn't going to be fun…"_

_She rubs the top of my head. "I will see you soon, Luna. Good luck."_

_I smile. "Thanks."_

As soon as I opened my eyes Janelle was right. A large headache comes right away and the light streaming through the window appears very harshly to me. I am alone in my bed. My eyes widen. Why do I feel like something is missing? All of a sudden pieces of memories come flooding back from last night. My face burns a bright red. Heath carried me to bed and lied here with me…

"EEP!" I nearly scream sitting up straight.

Of course, this makes the headache ten times worse. I grab my head with both of my hands. I bring my knees up so my forehead can rest against them. I hear the door to the room slam open making me jump. I look at the door to see that Mark had burst into the room. He was immediately at my side.

"What's wrong? What happened? Did something-?"

"Mark!" Matthew says loudly. Mark immediately stops talking to look at him. "Calm down already."

"S-Sorry." He stutters.

I smile laughing quietly to myself. I place a hand over my heart feeling it's beating slow down. He scared me a lot doing that. Matthew walks over to me.

"How are you feeling?" Matthew asks. I point to my head. Nothing else needs to be said for he just simply nods. "We should get you outside. You already missed breakfast."

I look at him confused. "Huh? How long did I sleep?"

"It's nearly mid-afternoon." Mark responds.

My eyes widen. I then groan loudly placing my forehead on my knees again. The guys laugh. Mark takes my arm and slowly pulls me out of bed. Both guys stand on both sides of me. I hold on to them as we walk out from within the ship. When on the main deck the bright sun really hits me. I close my eyes for a minute.

"Does she need medicine?" I hear Priscilla ask.

"I think so." Mark answers.

"With tea?" I ask looking at him.

He looks at me pausing for the lightest second. He smiles kindly. "Sure."

They both sit me down against the railing. The rocking makes me feel slightly sick but not enough that I have the urge to throw up (thank goodness for that). I wonder if that's how Guy feels whenever he is out at sea. After a few minutes of waiting Mark brought over some tea with some herbs floating within the cup.

"Priscilla said that this will help." Mark says handing it to me.

I smile gratefully taking it. "Thanks." I take a sip. "It tastes good." I comment.

Mark smiles. "That's good to hear." He looks around before looking back at me. "I really would like to sit with you. However, there are some things I have to take care of. Sorry, Luna."

"Promoting people?"

He nods. He rubs the top of my head gently. "See you later."

I smile. "Okay. Bye."

Mark leaves to go back within the ship. Matthew sits in front of me and stays silent as I drink my tea. My headache already seems to be subsiding. It still hurts, however. It looks like Matthew is about to say something when someone sits next to me. I look over and nearly drop my tea and blush immensely. Heath looks over at me.

"How are you feeling?" he asks softly.

"U-Um… fine, thanks." I respond.

I look into my tea and shut my eyes tightly. I need to stop panicking like this. I sound like an idiot. He must be thinking the same thing. I hear shuffling in front of me. I look up to see Matthew is moving to stand up. My eyes grow wide. 'Don't leave me alone!' I practically plead with my eyes.

He smirks. "I'll see you later, Luna."

He pecks my forehead before strolling off and waving without looking back. I sit there stunned. Why did he do that? I look over at Heath to see he is glaring at Matthew's back. I now know why. I swear I am going to kill him later. I don't care that he is an assassin. I am sure I can take him down if I try.

"Heath?" I ask.

He blinks a few times before looking back at me. He smiles. "Sorry."

I try to smile. "It's okay."

It becomes silent. I finish drinking my tea. I decide to go and return this cup to Priscilla. I stand up and feel wobbly. What's worse is that the ship decides to sway more than normal. I ultimately loose the battle with my balance and fall.

"Eep!" I exclaim.

I land on Heath. He wraps his arms around me so I don't move. Once the ship settles he sighs. I start blushing realizing the situation. I am sitting on his lap, my back is against his chest, his arms are wrapped around me, and his head is right by mine. My heart is beating like crazy!

"Are you alright?" he asks.

"Y-Yeah. Th-Thanks." I stutter out.

Heath breath tickles the back of my neck. I tense up feeling very nervous. What do I do? What do I do? What. Do. I. Do? I look at him and notice something. This throws my mind totally off track.

"Huh?" I ask confused. "New armor?"

Heath looks at himself. "Oh, right. I got promoted."

I smile widely. "Congratulations!"

He smiles while his cheeks are colored a light pink. "Thank you."

Still remembering that I am sitting on Heath I think of an idea. "Can we go see Hyperion?"

Heath's eyes grow slightly wide. He replies with, "Sure."

Over where Hyperion is I am able to relax. I gently pet his head. I'm glad that I have finally calmed my nerves around wyverns. Well, at least Hyperion. Heath is standing next to me smiling. He turns to me.

"Does this mean you are no longer scared?" he asks.

I think the question over. Finally, I answer with, "I think so. I'm not sure, though."

He pauses for a moment. He puts his hand in his pocket. "What are you planning to do after the battle?"

My eyes widen by the sudden question. I feel myself rendered speechless. What do I plan on doing? I honestly don't know how to answer that question. I've been so busy focusing on fighting and doing my best I never thought about afterwards. To be honest I thought it would never come. It feels so natural traveling with everyone it would be strange to split up once everything is done.

"I-I…" I look at Hyperion again. "I don't know." I reply honestly. "It never crossed my mind." I pause thinking. "Maybe I'll visit my parents. Then travel again."

Heath pulls something out of his pocket and steps close to me. I turn to him with an expression of confusion clearly on my face. He pulls out something small and shiny. He takes my hand and hooks the thing around my wrist. When he is done I bring it close to my face so I can look at it. It's a silver bracelet with little charms decorating it; an arrow head, a wyvern's wing, a pegasus' feather, a spear, and a bow and quiver together.

I stare at it with awe. "It's beautiful…" I whisper. I look back at Heath. "You got this for me?" He nods. "But… why?"

Heath takes both of my hands and holds them gently with his. I blush at the warm touch.

"Because… you looked so happy looking in that jewelry shop." He explains. He smiles. "The way your eyes brightened and sparkled and your lips curled up in that beautiful smile… I wanted to make you happy." He squeezes my hand. "I always want to make you happy."

I didn't know what to say. Honestly, I feel very touched. My heart is beating so fast and loud I can hardly contain myself. Heath must have noticed this because he squeezes my hands shaking them slightly.

"When the fights over," he says, "when everything is done, will you come with me? Settle down some place?"

My whole face burns bright red.

_**(Much later)**_

"Well, we've arrived!"Captain Fargus calls.

Looking at the island I was already wishing that we could leave. The eerie feeling makes it feel like I am sinking slowly.

"Fargus, I can never thank you enough." Lord Eliwood says to the pirate captain.

"No need to worry about that. Are you sure you don't need our help from here?" He smiles as he says, "Fargus's pirate crew makes women smile and villains revile!" This makes me laugh quietly to myself. "We could be helpful."

Lord Eliwood nods politely. "Thank you for your concern, but from here, we go alone."

"We don't have any idea what will happen." Lord Hector adds. "We'd like you to deliver a message, if you would."

Lady Lyn also speaks. "Even if we successfully defeat Nergal, there's no saying if we'll survive the battle."

Lord Eliwood becomes uncomfortable unsure how to word his thoughts. "We might… If we don't return. I apologize for the inconvenience, but…"

I know what he is trying to say. We could possibly lose someone out in the battlefield. The thought jabs at my heart. I don't want it to happen. I do have to prepare myself, though. Just in case the unthinkable happens.

"I'll worry about that when the time comes." Captain Fargus says reassuringly. "Don't worry."

"Thank you. And also… about Nils."

"I know. I'll take responsibility for him."

"…Nils?" Lady Lyn asks unsure. I see the little boy walk over towards us silently. I haven't seen him the entire trip over. I think he has been hiding in a room by himself. The poor kid… "We're going now."

Nils doesn't respond. He just blankly looks at Lady Lyn.

Lord Hector decides to say something. "We're going to shatter Nergal's ambitions and bring him down! You wait here and rest until we get back, okay?"

I smile at him. He is trying to make the kid feel better.

Lord Eliwood takes a deep breath. "Nils… I don't think you'll forgive me no matter how I apologize, but just hear me out. Our power is no match for Nergal." He clenches his hands into fists. Lord Eliwood always seems to look strong; it's amazing he has all of that bravery. "Even so, we can't give up. I have to fulfill Ninian's wish, too. I will never, ever flee from that duty."

Nils doesn't say a single word. He just looks at Lord Eliwood then at the ground. He even glances at me for the slightest moment. I wonder what he is thinking.

"So…" Lord Eliwood says, bringing Nils' attention back to him. "I want you to face reality as well. It doesn't have to be now… When you're past the pain. When you've… recovered… I'm sure that's what Ninian would want, too."

Nils looks at the ground. I can see that he looks very sad. I want to give him a hug so badly! I feel so bad for this kid! No one should have to go through what he has been through!

"Okay, Fargus. We're going." Lord Eliwood says to the pirate captain.

We all start leaving to walk deeper within the island.

"Hey!" Fargus calls. "Don't mess this up, pups!"

I was slow at leaving. Quickly I go over to Nils and give him a tight hug.

"We'll be back." I say quickly to him.

I let go of him and give him a reassuring smile. He just blankly looks at me. I can see there is a bit more emotion within his eyes, however. I turn to leave. Dart is only a few inches behind me also following.

Fargus calls out, "Ahoy, Dart! Hold on a moment."

"Yeah?" Dart replies turning around. "What is it, Captain?"

I look between the both of them. Deciding it would be best to leave them alone I walk away and quickly go to catch up with the others. After minutes of walking Dart has caught up with the rest of us. I want to ask what happened but I have a feeling that I won't get an answer. Instead I stay silent. I try focusing on staying positive but this island makes it difficult to do that.

"You and Heath, huh?" Legault says from next to me. "You both looked very comfy this morning." I blush glaring at him. He chuckles. "Sorry. Hangover?" I look ahead without responding. He simply nods. "Someone can't hold in their liquor."

"I've never drank alcohol before, alright?" I say in defense.

"Oh, really? Well, you were cute for a first time drinker."

I punch his arm. "Shush you."

Legault smirks. The rest of the trip it is basically silent; besides the short conversation with the smirking thief and eventually Serra. I don't know how much time passes but now I can feel that we are much closer to the Dragon's Gate. I want to leave. Something is pulling me towards the place, however. I'm very confused at the moment. Janelle pops into mind. I don't know why I am thinking about her at a time like this, though.

"So far, so good." Lord Eliwood says. "A little more and we'll be at the Dragon's Gate."

Lord Hector sighs. "We got here without much trouble. Wonder when Graybeard will show up?" He looks at Lord Eliwood. "What do you want to do? Wait?"

"Let me think…"

"Lord Eliwood!" a familiar voice suddenly exclaims. I turn to look and see who it is. When I see their face I gasp. "Look out! Move!"

Everyone scatters away from Lord Eliwood's spot. Within a second a large bolt of lightning hits the ground. When things settle I stare at the place. The grass is severely burnt and damaged. That would have been bad if the lord hadn't moved. Nils is then there with everyone else.

"Nils!" Lord Eliwood exclaims surprised. I can tell he is happy, though. "You came!"

Nils nods. "I did. I can't run away any longer. I'll take Ninian's place. I have to do her part." His eyes have that look of strength and they grow along with his voice. "No, I have to do Ninian's part and mine! I'll fight with you, and we'll change the course of fate!" I am smiling at this point. I'm so proud and happy for him.

Lord Hector, of course, looks ecstatic. "Well spoken! Now you sound like a man!"

Lord Lyn smiles happily. "Nils! Glad to see you."

"Sorry for worrying you." Nils says to everyone. He smiles. "I'm fine now!" He steps closer to where I am. He looks over in a certain direction. "And now… Stop skulking and come out! I know you're there."

I follow his gaze along with the others. There is no one there, however. I frown in confusion.

"Hm? What?" Lady Lyn asks voicing everyone's thoughts.

Out of nowhere suddenly a woman appears. She silently looks at Nils with no expression on her face. Chills run up my spine. The dark hair, pale complexion, and golden eyes are present with this person. That can only mean one thing.

"Ah!" Lady Lyn exclaims. "Who?"

"Limstella…" Nils says darkly. "The one who's always at Nergal's side."

"Ebony hair… gold pupils…" Lady Lyn says quietly to herself. She then says directly to the person, "You're a morph, aren't you?"

Limstella looks at her with a steady gaze pausing for only a moment. "I've come for your quintessence." My eyes widen. "…Come out, my humble servants."

Out of nowhere lots and lots of enemies appear on the field. Are they all morphs? There are so many! The thought sends chills throughout my entire body.

Lord Hector exclaims while glaring around him, "We'll have to fight our way through!"

"No matter how many there are, we cannot retreat!" Lady Lyn adds.

Nils pauses focusing on something for a few seconds. "…He hasn't called any dragons yet. If we go now, we might still have time to stop him!"

"Let's go, Mark!" Lord Eliwood says to my brother. "It's the final battle!"

I watch as Nils hands Lord Eliwood something. The lord is smiling looking at the item. From where I am standing it looks like an Earth Seal. Mark is looking over the item nodding approvingly. He is probably thinking about how to use it. Mark and Nils have a brief conversation before he starts giving orders to everyone.

We are to be split up. Half of us are taking the path south through the small mountains while the other half are to go north across a river. Then we are all to meet up at where Limstella should be found. I am part of the group that goes south. As we are getting split up I notice the people that have been promoted; Erk, Fiora, Farina, Lowen and Rebecca.

I am going south along with Hawkeye, Lord Hector, Florina, Lady Lyn, Oswin, Erk, Serra, Louise, Canas, Rath, Jaffar, and Nino. Everyone else is going north. I have a feeling this is going to be a very long battle. Near us is a ballista. I feel like it has been a while since I have last seen one. I jog up to it and look it over. I still remember how to use it. There are a couple cavaliers close by so I aim at them. I fire and it shoots through one of the cavaliers' chest. I cheer silently. I aim again to hit the other one and fire. This one misses. I curse silently. The cavalier spots me and rides in my direction.

Nino runs up beside me and shoots Elfire at the charging cavalier. It stumbles but still makes its way towards us. Jaffar seems to appear out of nowhere and kills him with one strike of his knife. The rider and horse both fall to the ground motionless. Nino looks at me worriedly.

"Are you alright?" she asks.

I nod. "Thanks."

I jump off of the ballista. Jaffar walks past us towards the south path where we are supposed to go. Nino and I quickly move to catch up with him and the others. There I see a few knights and a general attacking our group. Erk fires thunder magic at a knight and Serra finishes him off with light magic. The other knight gets attacked by Lady Lyn and Lord Hector. The general is dealt with by Oswin alone. We continue moving.

A wyvern and its rider fly over a mountain and attempt to attack us. My mind flashes to Heath. I quickly prep my arrow. On the wrist of the hand that is pulling back the arrow I see the silver bracelet dangle there and make the slightest sound. I let go of the arrow and watch it fly through the air. It hits the wyvern's wing but it continues diving in our direction. Louise shoots an arrow and the rider falls off. The wyvern falls to the ground as well where it is finished off by Canas by his dark magic. A ballista from some unknown place tries to hit Florina but she is able to fly away just in time. Another wyvern rider comes our way so Rath finishes them off no problem.

As we get out of the path between mountains the ballista and person on it come into view. Jaffar runs up with incredible speed and kills him. An old ruin stands not too far off. Lady Lyn runs up to the building and enters. It takes her about a minute before she returns. Just then two nomadic troopers ride up towards us to attack. Lord Hector runs up and attacks one along with the help of Florina. I attack the other one. It shoots at me and I jump to the side barely dodging the attack. Nino attacks the nomadic trooper but he is still not finished off. Hawkeye swings down his large, heavy axe sideways basically chopping him in half. His strength scares me quite a bit.

We run forward and two more appear. Erk and Canas attack one together. The combo of lighting and dark magic kills him instantly. The other one is left between me and Louise. Rath, Lady Lyn, Canas, and Oswin stay in the back of the group just in case any more nomadic troopers try to come and attack us. There are two axe-wielders that charge in our direction. Hawkeye kills one of them quickly and instantly while the other one is killed by Erk.

Wyvern riders appear and are ready to attack. Jaffar guards Nino very well as he attacks one of them. In order to help I shoot at the same one. The rider falls over dead and the wyvern flies away. Louise shoots at the other one and Serra shoots light magic to finish him off. The third one is dealt with by Lord Hector's axe and Florina's lance.

Dark magic is suddenly surrounding me. I panic for a minute knowing it's a long-range attack. I jump to the side and barely miss. During my dodging I didn't notice that three more wyvern riders showed up. One of them attacks me leaving a deep cut on my side. I fall on my knees in pain. Just as the rider is about to stab me again Nino shoots some fire at them. Jaffar then jumps and slits their throat. The wyvern is killed by Louise. Once they are dead Nino runs to my side.

"Luna!" she exclaims. "Are you hurt badly?"

I place my hand on my side and wince as pain surrounds the area. I can feel warm liquid spilling out. I smile up at her the best that I can.

"I-I'll be fine." I say calmly.

Serra is at my side and her staff is already glowing with power. The warm glow reaches my side and heals it almost completely. The wound closes and the bleeding stops. What is left is a tingling pain, stains, and a rip in my dress. Both Nino and Serra help me stand up. The other two wyverns are dead close by.

"Thanks." I say to the both of them still smiling. I then become serious. "Let's keep moving."

"Are you sure? You just got hurt!" Nino says while her eyes are wide.

I pat the top of her head. "I can't stop now."

I have to see Heath first. Seeing those wyverns and getting attacked made me realize that I have to tell him something important. I hope to rejoin with him soon so I can tell him. The tips of my fingers brush along the silver chain and touch the wyvern's wing charm. Since Nino stays close to me as we keep moving that also means that Jaffar is close by. The wielder of the dark magic is found and brought down by Serra. A large man with a huge axe attacks and is killed by Oswin.

We cross a bridge to be met with another ballista, four knights, and a general. I take care of the person on the ballista with two shots of my arrows, Hawkeye takes care of the general, Lord Hector and Florina take care of a knight, Oswin takes care of another knight, Jaffar attacks the third knight with Nino finishing it off, and Rath and Lady Lyn take care of the fourth one. Beside the castle the rest of our group rejoins with us. We are now facing the large building which Limstella stands in guard.

An unknown bishop attacks her but the attack doesn't seem to faze her much. She attacks him with an ice hurricane and he gets scratched up. He is moved out of the way and Priscilla heals him. Pent and Louise attack together causing more damage towards her but not able to kill. Pent barely misses her return attack. Farina swoops down on her pegasus and stabs Limstella but she still stands. Farina is able to fly away just in time to miss the attack. With amazement I watch as Heath goes and attacks her. I was fearful but he is able to stab her and she finally falls to her knees. Lord Eliwood attacks with his sword just for good measure. Limstella is now dead and the battle is over.

Everyone regroups. I see Heath un-mount Hyperion and can't help but rush over to him. My side hurts but I don't stumble or slow down. He sees me and his eyes widen. I hug him close.

"That was a heated battle." I hear Lord Eliwood say.

I let go of Heath and look over to where the Lords and my brother is at. Heath stands very close to my side with his arm around me. I blush but focus on listening.

"I thought it was going to go on forever…" Lord Hector says tiredly. "Phew…"

"It's not finished yet." Lady Lyn says. "Nergal is waiting at the Dragon's Gate!"

Nils is near them. "Nergal. He must pay!"

"Before we go to the Dragon's Gate…" Lord Eliwood says before looking at the young boy. "Nils, if you don't mind, would you share your story with us?"

"Huh?"

"I won't force you to if you don't want to."

He pauses. I become curious and it slowly rises with the silence. I want to know his story as well. I hope he is alright with telling us. Finally, he answers with, "Okay, I'll tell you. I want you all to know about me and Ninian."

Everyone becomes silent. Nils takes a few deep breaths while closing his eyes. I wait patiently and my hand unconsciously goes to the silver bracelet. My fingers brush over the pegasus' feather and the arrowhead. He opens his eyes looking calm. I am amazed at how brave he is. If all eyes were on me I would be very nervous. I perk my ears to listen.

"A millennium ago… Man chased dragonkind from the land, exiled us. We had no place to go… not on this world. So we used the Dragon's Gate to flee into another world. When we passed through this chasm in space and time, many of us were lost. Still, we endured the journey. We found humans there, too, but they were few in number. We had a few skirmishes, but at last, we found a home. We were stable there, happy, even. But some thought back on our former home, and when we did, his voice reached out to us. Ninian was a medium in the other world, an oracle of sorts. She sat at the Dragon Shrine. She held much power. We were in prayer at the shrine when it happened… We heard a voice calling to us from the Dragon's Gate. It was the voice of an old friend… We knew we weren't supposed to open the gate and return to this world. We had no idea that the owner of that voice was Nergal…"

"Nergal…" Lord Eliwood says softly.

Nils nods. "But something unexpected happened. When we opened the Dragon's Gate and traveled here again, we had lost almost all of our strength… The quintessence left within us was less even than that of an average human. In order to sustain ourselves, in order to breathe the air of this world, we took human form. We placed our energies within a dragonstone. But our dragonstone was taken… stolen. Nergal hoped to use it as a tool to summon other dragons. …Until we escaped. We couldn't let our foolishness condemn our friends. Disguised as a dancer and a bard, we fled and wandered from country to country. That's when we first met Lady Lyndis, one year ago."

Lady Lyn's eyes were wide with surprise. "That whole time… Nergal was after you?" She frowns sadly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Nils looks at her smiling sadly. "You were so good to us. We didn't want to cause you any trouble." He looks back at the others. "After we left Lyn at Caelin, we were captured again…" He takes a few slow breaths before continuing. "We decided that the only way to escape was to cut short our own lives. That was when we met Lord Elbert." He glances at Lord Eliwood while saying Lord Elbert's name before looking back at the rest of us. A warm smile crosses his face. "He was so strong, so kind… He knew what we were… and what we had done, and he never once condemned us. On the contrary, he tried to set us at ease with stories… Stories of his family, of his homeland. Ninian and I… We listened to his stories, and we grew to love his gentle wife and his son. Premonition… No, that is too strong of a word, but we felt his son would be the one to save us. …That's what we felt. That's why…" Nils looks at Lord Eliwood again. "That's why, Lord Eliwood!"

Lord Eliwood stays silent. Everyone does. Tears were pricking at my eyes from listening to the full story. It's amazing what he and his sister went through up to this point. Nergal is a horrible man-. No, not even a man. A horrible evil being that needs to pay by death!

"I believe in you." Nils continues. "Even though Ninain's gone, I will continue to protect you. I have to. That… That's Ninian's wish. It's our wish. Let's stop Nergal! You're the only one who can do it…"

"Nils!" Lord Eliwood says.

Lord Hector exclaims excitedly, "Let's do it! Eliwood!"

Lady Lyn looks excited as well. "He's right! It's too early to give up! I mean, we're still here! We're still alive!"

Lord Eliwood looks at everyone amazed. I smile at him letting him know that I am ready to fight as well. "Everyone… You're right. My friends are here with me! There's no power on this earth stronger than that! Let's go! The Dragon's Gate awaits! That's where we'll shatter Nergal's ambitions!"

Everyone cheers and shouts with full out integrity and determination. We are going to win this! I can just feel it! I won't give up no matter what! I shall see this to the end and part with everyone once this is all over (I just hope I don't end up getting drunk again)! As everyone moves out with much energy I turn to face Heath.

"Heath, the answer to your question?" I say twiddling my fingers together. Heath nods patiently. I smile. "Yes."

His eyes are wide and a huge grin spreads across his face. He hugs me closely slightly picking me up in the air.

"Let's go win this!" he exclaims letting go of me.

"Yeah!" I exclaim excitedly.

"Well, come on!" Nino exclaims suddenly appearing beside me.

She takes my hand and pulls me along so we can catch up with the others.

* * *

><p><strong>That's it! I will try super hard to get the next chapter done ASAP! Let me thank the reviewers of the last chapter:<strong>

_**AquaticSilver**_

_**SuperNova23**_

**_ExposedWiresExposedVeins_**

_**Meru-64**_

**_Hyralc_**

_**patattack**_

**That's it. Please don't be afraid to review! :D I hope everyone has a great Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate) and a wonderful New Years! I'll post up a chapter next year! ;) So, until then... SAYONARA!**


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